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1 – 10 of over 6000When a new logo is released, it does not have an established meaning in the mind of the viewer. As logos have become more highly scrutinized by consumers and critics, it has…
Abstract
Purpose
When a new logo is released, it does not have an established meaning in the mind of the viewer. As logos have become more highly scrutinized by consumers and critics, it has become more important to understand viewers’ initial responses to logos. While other studies have researched the impact of aesthetic choices on viewer reaction to logos, this study aims to understand the effect of the surrounding visual identity system when a new logo is introduced.
Design/methodology/approach
This study combines a content analysis of 335 posts on the logo review website Brand New with the voting data from their polls to understand how visual context correlates with a viewer’s initial response.
Findings
Increased amounts of visual context correlate to an improved response from viewers. Different types of context that can be presented – from logo variations and environmental examples to videos and animation – have varied effects.
Practical implications
When releasing a new logo, companies and organizations may receive a better response from viewers if they provide more visual context. Animations may also provide an improved response.
Originality/value
This study takes a novel approach to exploring viewer responses to logos by combining content analysis with voting data. While most studies use fictitious or abstract logo designs, this study uses actual logos and context to better understand viewer responses.
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Anna Torres, Leonor Vacas de Carvalho, Joana Cesar Machado, Michel van de Velden and Patrício Costa
Focusing on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are characterized by resource restrictions, this paper aims to explore consumer segment profiles by considering…
Abstract
Purpose
Focusing on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are characterized by resource restrictions, this paper aims to explore consumer segment profiles by considering demographic, personality and creativity traits to determine whether consumers with different profiles exhibit distinct affective reactions to different logo design types (organic, cultural and abstract).
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory study incorporates recent methodological developments, such as the novel response style correction method, to account for response style effects in evaluations of affect toward logo design. In separate analyses, respondents are segmented according to response style–corrected logo affect and personality and creativity items. The segmentation analysis relies on reduced k-means, a joint dimension and cluster analysis method, which accounts for dependencies between items while maximizing between-cluster variability. A total of 866 respondents from the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal: n = 543; Spain: n = 323) participated.
Findings
Based on a study using unknown logos (proxy for lower levels of budget communication, characteristics of SMEs), results reveal that there are three segments of consumers based on their affective response toward logo design: logo design insensitives, cultural logo dislikers and organic logo lovers. These segments are associated with different personality traits, creativity and biological sex (although biological sex is not a discriminant variable).
Research limitations/implications
The decision not to control logos by color, to increase external validity, could limit the study’s internal validity if this aspect interacts with relevant study variables. Nevertheless, the empirical evidence can be used to further test associations between consumer profiles and responses to logo design.
Practical implications
Findings highlight the relevance of considering complex profile segments, combining demographics, psychographics and creativity to predict affective consumer responses to brand logo design. This research provides guidelines for SMEs when choosing or modifying their logo design to appeal to different consumer segments.
Originality/value
This study provides managers of SMEs (less present nowadays in empirical studies) with evidence suggesting that complex customer profiles help to understand differences in affective responses to natural logo designs. Furthermore, it relies on the use of a novel methodological development that improves the accuracy of the exploratory study developed.
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Luluo Peng, Yuting Wei, Xiaodan Zhang and Danping Wang
The brand logo, as a fundamental element of marketing communications, serves as a crucial visual representation of a brand. In the current era of mobile Internet, logo flatness…
Abstract
Purpose
The brand logo, as a fundamental element of marketing communications, serves as a crucial visual representation of a brand. In the current era of mobile Internet, logo flatness has become a new trend in practice. However, there remains a scarcity of research that explores the effects of logo flatness on consumer perceptions and brand attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
Across four studies, using both observational analyses of real brands and experimental manipulations of fictitious brands, the authors examined the impact of logo flatness on consumer perceptions and brand attitudes.
Findings
Results show that logo flatness promotes the perception of modernity due to the simplicity it presents. Consumers will evaluate the brand more positively when their perception of the logo association is congruent with the brand image. Notably, traditional brands using skeuomorphic logos and modern brands employing flat logos can effectively enhance consumers' brand attitudes.
Practical implications
The findings of this study have significant implications for businesses seeking to enhance consumers' brand attitude and foster brand renewal through the strategic selection and design of logos that align with their brand image.
Originality/value
This study provides a theoretical and empirical test of the influence of logo flatness on consumers' perception of brand image, thereby enriching the existing research on brand management.
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Antonio Williams and Zack Paul Pedersen
Branded merchandise and licensed apparel comprise a substantial portion of revenue for many organizations and public figures that choose to employ such an endeavor. Endorsement…
Abstract
Purpose
Branded merchandise and licensed apparel comprise a substantial portion of revenue for many organizations and public figures that choose to employ such an endeavor. Endorsement deals with apparel manufacturers have historically been utilized for athletes looking to supplement their salaries and establish greater brand awareness. However, as some athletes establish ownership of their logo and become less reliant on companies such as Nike and Adidas for merchandise distribution, assessing the influence of various entity's logos on the athlete brand has become worthy of analysis. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence that cobranded merchandise has on consumers when the athlete logo is displayed next to another team or manufacturer logo.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an online panel and survey, a final sample of 127 participants completed a questionnaire to examine their attitudes towards various athlete brand elements. ANCOVA's and MANCOVA's were utilized to assess significant findings, holding the variable of identification constant.
Findings
The results revealed that only the perceptions of merchandise quality significantly varied between an athlete brand and an apparel manufacturer (i.e. Nike) co-brand. The findings indicate that athletes should look to co-brand with high brand awareness manufacturers, and that there is no significant difference between consumers' perceptions of athlete brands when co-branding with team brands.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to evaluate the relationship between the athlete brand and external entities from a consumer perspective.
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Sarah Song Southworth and Jung Ha-Brookshire
In response to today’s marketplace in which many Asian brands are trying to expand their businesses into Western nations, this study investigated the strategic use of cultural…
Abstract
Purpose
In response to today’s marketplace in which many Asian brands are trying to expand their businesses into Western nations, this study investigated the strategic use of cultural authenticity that Asian brands may employ for their success. Although the benefits of using cultural heritage in brand strategies have been noted by past literature, the efficacies of how Asian brands can use brand logo designs to positively influence their brand success have not been studied. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese brands can increase willingness to try among US consumers by establishing brand uniqueness via culturally authentic brand logo designs.
Design/methodology/approach
The data from 289 respondents via online between-subjects factorial experimental research surveys were collected using a national US population as the sample frame. The Chinese brand logos communicating Asian heritage were created by manipulating the cultural authenticity of the brand logo mark and the language of the logotype.
Findings
The results suggested that the Asian-themed brand logo is an important tool in exuding a Chinese brand’s sense of cultural authenticity to US consumers. In turn, the perception of cultural authenticity for the Chinese brand positively influenced the US consumers’ perceptions of the brand’s uniqueness, which led to greater willingness to try the brand.
Originality/value
The research provides empirical insights into how “Asian-ness” can be manifested via brand logos to convey cultural authenticity as well as to build perceived brand uniqueness and the willingness to try among US consumers.
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Ke Zhong, Haizhong Wang and Caiyun Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to test the brand elongation effect which is defined as the impacts of the aspect ratio of logo on consumers’ temporal property assessment and brand…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the brand elongation effect which is defined as the impacts of the aspect ratio of logo on consumers’ temporal property assessment and brand evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a theory with experiments.
Findings
The brand elongation effect that strip-shaped logos can make consumers perceive temporal property longer than square-shaped logos has been testified with three pairs fictional logos and one pair real-life one. The valence of temporal property moderates the effect on evaluation of temporal property. The perceived temporal length mediated the shape effect on brand evaluation only when the temporal property is important (vs unimportant) for the product.
Research limitations/implications
This study only deals with the elongation effect of logos’ aspect ratio, without discussing the impact of color, angle/roundness or other graphic properties of logos on consumer attitudes.
Practical implications
This study not only provides empirical supports to update brand logos but also further illustrates that some subtle properties of logos can result in influences that are both significant and substantial.
Originality/value
This research enriches the literature of branding and metaphorical cognition. The findings of this study provide direct implications for brand managers to design logos and manage multi-shape brand logos.
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Harsandaldeep Kaur and Kanwalroop Kaur
Although the prominence of brand logo for companies is widely acknowledged, a close examination of the literature reveals lack of empirical research pertaining to effect of brand…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the prominence of brand logo for companies is widely acknowledged, a close examination of the literature reveals lack of empirical research pertaining to effect of brand logo on consumer perception toward brand. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to fill the gap in marketing studies concerning the effect of a logo on consumer evaluations. The research addresses two questions: first, how brand logo favorability helps to increase brand image; and second, how brand logo form consumer perceptions toward brand through brand personality dimensions and brand familiarity?
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 816 respondents using mall-intercept technique. Structural equation modeling via AMOS was conducted to test the proposed model to gain insight into the various relevant influences and relationships.
Findings
The findings revealed the importance of the company’s brand logo in enhancing the brand image. The results further highlighted that brand personality dimensions and brand familiarity mediate the relationship between brand logo and brand image.
Practical implications
The study offers managers a new perspective for building strong brand identity with the help of logos along with the brand personality dimensions and brand familiarity to enhance brand image.
Originality/value
This study provides novel insights on the impact of brand logo on brand image. This is the first study to determine the mediating role of brand personality in the relationship between brand logo and brand image. It thereby adds to the literature of visual identity by developing the sphere of influence of brand logo and its effects toward brands.
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Mark Peterson, Saleh AlShebil and Melissa Bishop
The purpose of the study is to develop and empirically test a model of how consumers process logo changes used in rebranding.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to develop and empirically test a model of how consumers process logo changes used in rebranding.
Design/methodology/approach
Individual in-depth interviews with 12 informants allowed researchers to better understand how consumers respond to logo changes. After developing a model of how consumers process logo changes, researchers deployed a field study evaluating two actual retail brands using survey methodology with 406 respondents.
Findings
Nine of the ten hypotheses of the study receive support. Notably, both interest in the logo change as well as doubt about the logo change characterize consumers’ processing of the logo change.
Research limitations/implications
Although study respondents viewed multiple brands along with variations of these brands, other brands might elicit other responses from consumers. Further study is now in order.
Practical implications
As a result of the study, brand managers can be more aware of the positive and negative processing that brands receive from consumers when brands change their logos. Accordingly, communication programs of brands can better anticipate such processing before logos are changed.
Social implications
Social enterprises that change their logos stand to benefit in a similar way to for-profit businesses that change their logos.
Originality/value
This is the first study to include two types of curiosity – interest curiosity and deprivation curiosity – in a comprehensive model to better explain how consumers process logo changes.
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Yong Jian Wang, Monica D. Hernandez, Michael S. Minor and Jie Wei
The purpose of this study is to explore the role of various superstitious beliefs in consumers' information processing and evaluation of brand logos.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the role of various superstitious beliefs in consumers' information processing and evaluation of brand logos.
Design/methodology/approach
When consumers encounter a brand logo without actually experiencing the company's offerings, superstition may be deployed to fill the void of the unknown to evaluate the brand logo and judge the benefits from the offerings represented by the brand. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between consumers' brand logo sensitivity and a number of antecedental superstition beliefs.
Findings
The results indicate that consumers' belief in fate has a negative effect on brand logo sensitivity, and consumers' belief in fortune‐tellers, belief in magic and fictional figures, belief in lucky charms, and belief in superstitious rituals have positive effects on brand logo sensitivity, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
From a consumer perspective, the authors' findings reveal that the more positive attitude consumers have towards a company's visual identity system, the more favorable brand image consumers have toward the company and its offerings.
Practical implications
Marketers should study and understand consumer superstition when attempting to build consumer‐friendly, culturally‐robust, and trouble‐free brands in the marketplace. Managerial implications and corporate branding strategies are suggested to avoid branding pitfalls and maximize brand equity in the consumer market.
Originality/value
The study offers a non‐traditional approach to explaining consumer‐based brand image and brand equity.
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Julien Grobert, Caroline Cuny and Marianela Fornerino
This paper aims to investigate the impact of brand attachment and familiarity on perceived congruence between the logo and the brand. It explores the role of an under-researched…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the impact of brand attachment and familiarity on perceived congruence between the logo and the brand. It explores the role of an under-researched factor, surprise, on perceived congruence in the case of a radical logo change.
Design/methodology/approach
A study was conducted with 220 students following a university logo change. Perceived congruence between the logos (old and new) and the school brand values was measured for two kinds of students, current and future (i.e. applicants).
Findings
Results show the importance of surprise in the acceptance of a logo change. Brand familiarity and brand attachment affect surprise in opposite ways, such that higher familiarity increases negative surprise, whereas higher attachment enhances positive surprise.
Research limitations/implications
This research used a school logo. Because schools represent a particular type of company, brand attachment to another type of brand could be different. The current model needs to be tested in different contexts.
Practical implications
Companies must pay special attention when communicating with their most attached consumers. In particular, companies that aim to change their logos must prepare for the change by relying on communications that can lead to positive surprise.
Originality/value
This study was conducted in a real context of logo change. It is the first study to focus on the link among familiarity, attachment and surprise when a radical logo change takes place within a company.
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