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1 – 10 of over 10000When 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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Elyria Kemp, Steven W. Kopp and My (Myla) Bui
Brand management has traditionally enlisted visual branding elements, including the brand’s graphic logo, to distinguish and communicate the personality of the brand. However, as…
Abstract
Purpose
Brand management has traditionally enlisted visual branding elements, including the brand’s graphic logo, to distinguish and communicate the personality of the brand. However, as healthcare organizations work to shape how consumers perceive their brand, organizations are also enhancing their brand identity with sound and music by creating a sonic brand. This research paper aims to examine how sonic brands influence consumer emotional reactions and trust in a healthcare provider. It also explores how sonic brands can differentially affect consumers, depending on their level of engagement in their physical and mental health.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experimental studies were conducted that tested the use of a sonic logo for healthcare providers in consumption contexts that might elicit negative emotions, cancer care and mental health care.
Findings
The results suggest that the presence of a sonic logo helped to alleviate negative emotions as well as engender trust in the provider. Findings also revealed that for consumers who are less engaged in their health, a sonic logo served as a peripheral cue by enhancing perceptions of competence and empathy for the healthcare provider.
Originality/value
Findings from this research provide insight into how sonic brands can increase the effectiveness of branded healthcare communications.
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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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Rozbeh Madadi, Ivonne M. Torres, Reza Fazli-Salehi and Miguel Ángel Zúñiga
This research study examines how changing the logo to one that depicts social distancing impacts consumers’ attitude toward the brand, attitude toward social distancing…
Abstract
Purpose
This research study examines how changing the logo to one that depicts social distancing impacts consumers’ attitude toward the brand, attitude toward social distancing guidelines, intention to follow social distancing guidelines, purchase intention, logo evaluation and word of mouth (WOM).
Design/methodology/approach
A 2 (logo type: conventional vs. novel) X 2 (product involvement: high vs. low) between-subjects experimental design was employed. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was run on the dependent variables (i.e. attitude toward the brand, attitude toward social distancing guidelines, intention to follow social distancing guidelines, purchase intention, logo evaluation and WOM).
Findings
The results indicate a significant moderating effect of product involvement. Individuals who were exposed to a novel logo for a low-involvement product demonstrated improved purchase intentions, attitudes towards the brand, WOM and intentions to follow social distancing guidelines.
Practical implications
From a practical perspective, the results suggest that managers at global brands should consider their brand’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. For example, Nike chose to frame its consumers’ athletic habits as a lifesaving call to action with a new advertising copy that proposed, “If you ever dreamed of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance: play inside, play for the world,” to stress the necessity for people to stay at home.
Social implications
From a theoretical perspective, the results of this study add to the emerging literature on CSR and logo changing, and particularly on following social distancing guidelines introduced in response to COVID-19, by exploring the link between COVID-19 advertising in promotional materials (logo changing) and outcomes such as attitude toward the brand, attitude toward social distancing guidelines, intention to follow social distancing guidelines, purchase intention, logo evaluation and WOM.
Originality/value
This research study adds to the literature on CSR and logo changing, primarily the contribution is based on the understanding of the impact of social distancing guidelines introduced in response to COVID-19. More specifically, this research study contributes toward the understanding of the link between COVID-19 advertising in promotional materials (e.g. logo changing) and outcomes such as attitude toward the brand, attitude toward social distancing guidelines, intention to follow social distancing guidelines, purchase intention, logo evaluation and WOM.
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Yukichika Kawata, Sheila Nu Nu Htay and Ahmed Syed Salman
This study aims to examine whether citizens of non-Muslim countries accept products with a “halal” logo. In the era of globalization, one of the most crucial issues for Muslim…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine whether citizens of non-Muslim countries accept products with a “halal” logo. In the era of globalization, one of the most crucial issues for Muslim travelers is reliable halal foods when visiting non-Muslim countries. If people in non-Muslim countries accept imported products containing halal certification logos, and such products are readily available in shops, this issue could be substantially improved.
Design/methodology/approach
Malaysia and Japan were selected as Muslim and non-Muslim countries, respectively, to conduct a choice experiment (CE) for 656 non-Muslim subjects, and estimated willingness to pay (WTP) for mineral water with and without the halal logo. A random parameter logit model was used for estimation.
Findings
The difference between the WTP for mineral water with and without the halal logo was ¥5; however, the associated coefficient is not statistically significant. This implies that the halal logo has no impact on non-Muslim subjects’ purchasing behavior. From this, we can infer that the halal products with certification logo would be accepted in Japanese shops, which may foster foreign Muslim visits.
Research limitations/implications
As the results are based on a couple of countries (Malaysia and Japan) and only one product (mineral water), further investigation using other products in different countries would be necessary. However, as suggested in the main text, the results enjoy a degree of generalizability.
Originality/value
The results of this study support the possibility of circulating halal products in non-Muslim countries and thus promoting Muslim travel abroad. No such study has examined this issue using CE.
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Osama Sam Al-Kwifi, Hamid Mahmood Hamid Gelaidan and Abdulla Hamad M. A. Fetais
Halal markets are rapidly growing in terms of market size and global coverage; therefore, there is a critical demand to have a deeper understanding of the consumption behavior of…
Abstract
Purpose
Halal markets are rapidly growing in terms of market size and global coverage; therefore, there is a critical demand to have a deeper understanding of the consumption behavior of Muslim consumers. This study aims to explore the influence of using the Halal logo on Muslim consumers’ attitudes toward food products using the neuroscience technology of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Design/methodology/approach
The theory of planned behavior represents the foundation of this research, where consumer attitudes during an fMRI experiment were evaluated based on two different groups of images: images of just the Halal logo and images of meat labeled with the Halal logo. The study used the blocked design approach to track brain responses produced from displaying the two groups of images to study participants, where brain activity represents participants’ attitudes toward selecting the products.
Findings
There were no significant variations in brain activity when participants viewed Halal and non-Halal logos; in contrast, there were significant brain changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex region when meat images were labeled with Halal and non-Halal logos. This suggests that the Halal logo only has an influence on perception when it co-occurs with a product.
Research limitations/implications
Tracking Muslim consumption patterns is important for managers to be able to establish strategies to target Muslim consumers. This study uses a unique technique to study the behavioral attitude of a rapidly growing market segment, which can help marketing managers tailor their advertisement strategies to be more effective.
Originality/value
Previous research on the consumption of Halal products uses conventional approaches to study the influence of the Halal logo; however, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the influence of the Halal logo on Muslim consumers’ attitudes using fMRI technology.
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Timothy B. Kellison, Jordan R. Bass, Brent D. Oja and Jeffrey D. James
The practice of an interscholastic athletic department reproducing the logo of a collegiate team for its own use is becoming increasingly visible. In response to this growth, many…
Abstract
Purpose
The practice of an interscholastic athletic department reproducing the logo of a collegiate team for its own use is becoming increasingly visible. In response to this growth, many collegiate licensing departments have begun actively enforcing zero-tolerance policies that prohibit third parties from using their respective colleges’ trademarks. Conversely, other institutions have exercised discretion by allowing high school programs to use their athletic departments’ logos only after receiving assurances from the high school that it will adhere to strict usage guidelines. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides a thorough discussion on the concept of brand dilution and its application to sport. More specifically the study gives an account of the strategies employed by trademark specialists to protect (and in some cases, enhance) the equity of their brands. To identify these strategies, a qualitative questionnaire was employed, which was completed by 13 brand managers representing institutions from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference, Big Ten Conference, Mid-American Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and the Southeastern Conference.
Findings
Qualitative questionnaire responses from collegiate brand managers suggest that licensing departments differ in their perceptions of the outcomes associated with allowing logo replication in high school athletic departments.
Originality/value
Perceived consequences of two enforcement strategies – prohibitive and cooperative – are highlighted, as are implications and directions for future research.
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Katrin Zander, Susanne Padel and Raffaele Zanoli
With the introduction of the mandatory European Union (EU) organic logo for all organic food products in 2010, the European Commission aimed at fostering the internal organic food…
Abstract
Purpose
With the introduction of the mandatory European Union (EU) organic logo for all organic food products in 2010, the European Commission aimed at fostering the internal organic food market. This needs consumers’ knowledge of the logo. According to earlier research consumers’ knowledge of the EU organic logo is low. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to elicit consumers’ attitudes towards organic certification and labelling and to develop recommendations on how to improve consumers’ knowledge of the EU organic logo.
Design/methodology/approach
By means of an online survey with 3,000 participants in six European countries, knowledge of the logo and attitudes towards organic farming and European labelling, as well as organic food purchase behaviour and socio-demographic indicators were elicited. Factor and cluster analysis based on several statements on the test persons’ attitudes towards organic farming and corresponding EU legislation were conducted in order to segment consumers.
Findings
The results indicate that knowledge of the logo is low. Only about 15 per cent of all respondents knew its meaning. Four clusters of consumers could be identified: “Committed organics”, “Pragmatic organics”, “Organic sceptics” and Organic disinterested’. With reference to the EU organic legislation’s aim of promoting the organic market, particularly “Organic sceptics” should be addressed by emphasising the trustworthiness of the organic certification and labelling system.
Originality/value
Segmenting consumers according to their attitude towards organic farming, its labelling and certification allows for targeted and efficient communication and organic market development.
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