Measuring the effects of new brand introduction on inter-brand strategic interaction

This paper empirically investigates the effects of a new brand introduction on the market structure of a product market, i.e., the nature of competition among existing brands. The model is based on the discrete choice multinomial logit model in which the household-specific brand intercepts are decomposed into brand locations in attribute space and households' importance weights for these attributes. The formulation also incorporates the effects of marketing variables on brand choice behavior. The relative proximity of brands in the attribute space provides a measure of the intensity of competitive rivalry among brands. A new brand introduction results in an additional location in this space. Three consequences of the introduction are investigated. (i) Impact on brand locations of extant brands. (ii) Change in the importance weights assigned by households to the attributes. (iii) Effects on households' sensitivities to marketing activities. As some or all of the above could change, these three effects result in eight combinations that need to be studied. The general model is one in which all three components are allowed to change and this nests the remaining seven specifications. The specification that is most consistent with the data can, therefore, be isolated via a statistical test of nested hypotheses. Identifying the consequences of the introduction for market structure has implications for managerial action. An empirical application of the model to household scanner panel data using liquid laundry detergents is provided.     

新媒体环境中品牌粉丝效应形成机理研究

随着新媒体技术的不断发展以及消费模式的变迁,电子商务呈现出新型业态,对品牌新媒体营销提出了新的挑战。消费者的品牌消费已经从传统的功能性需求转移到更多的价值需求,营销领域的“粉丝效应”应运而生。本文即研究新媒体环境中粉丝效应的形成机理。结合新媒体环境,文中描述了粉丝效应的概念及内涵,探讨了新媒体环境中新型电商的业态及价值产出模式的变革,提出了粉丝效应的实现过程并实证分析了粉丝效应的形成机理。文中提出粉丝效应实现的三种影响因素,包括品牌体验、品牌认同、品牌形象。研究结果表明,品牌体验对品牌认同有正向影响;品牌认同分为个人品牌认同及社会品牌认同,个人品牌认同对社会品牌认同有正向影响;品牌认同对品牌形象有正向影响;品牌认同和品牌形象均对品牌粉丝效应有正向影响。     

Spatial mapping of price competition using logit-type market share models and store-level scanner-data

This paper proposes a methodology to obtain reliable spatial maps of price competition using store-level scanner data. Specifically, a procedure to obtain a symmetric matrix of similarities between brands considering their substitutability depending on price variations is proposed. The matrix is derived from a market response model where price cross-effects are split into two components. The first component accounts for the fact that price variation in one brand can have different effects to price variation in other brands (ie j → j′≠j′ → j). The second component accounts for the fact that the price of each brand can have different effects across competing brands (ie j → j′≠j → j^″). The matrix is obtained by imposing symmetry on this second component of price cross-effects. The parameterization of this symmetric matrix of similarities as the distances between the spatial representations of brands allows us to obtain the positioning maps. The proposed approach is illustrated through an empirical application.     

National and store brand advertising strategies

As the propensity of premium store brands (SBs) increases, retailers must consider different ways to drive sales besides promotional strategies. With this in mind, we consider a national brand (NB) and a (premium) SB co-existing in a market. Each brand has to decide the amount to invest in advertising its product and the prices to charge its customers, which can be determined separately or in unison. When either advertising expenditures or pricing decisions are set, each brand must keep in mind that the advertising efforts and revenue may spillover between the two brands, customers who intend to purchase the NB may end up purchasing the SB and vice versa. We derive an analytical model of the situations described and characterize equilibrium advertising decisions. We find that the characteristics of a premium SB may depend on which marketing/promoting instrument (advertising or pricing) is the primary method for driving demand; and in some situations an NB may be better off to not advertise at all and instead let the premium SB carry out all of the advertising.     

Price competition and store competition: Store brands vs. national brand

This paper studies pricing strategies in a market channel composed of one national brand manufacturer and two retailers who, each, carry their own store brand and a national brand products. The model accounts for product competition between store brands and the national brand products, as well as for store competition between retailers.     

Components of optimal price under logit demand

Demand for durables can be modeled using a logit framework in which a customer chooses one brand from several alternatives, or buys nothing at all. In this framework, optimal prices for competing brands can be expressed as a system of non-linear equations, which, however, do not have closed form solutions. Although the optimal price can be determined by numerical search, the solution offers limited understanding of its components. In this article, we develop a linear approximation of the Nash equilibrium optimal price of a brand as its marginal cost plus a weighted sum of: (1) the inverse of the price sensitivity of the market, (2) the average value added by all brands in the market, and (3) the value advantage (or disadvantage) of the brand. The weights depend primarily upon the number of competing brands, with price insensitivity having the strongest impact, followed by value advantage of the brand, and average value added by all brands. This approximation for optimal price is found to be robust under a wide range of conditions. Additionally, we demonstrate that using the approximation results in only marginal deviation of profits from the theoretical Nash optimal.     

网络品牌忠诚驱动因素分类研究

将网络品牌分为传统品牌的网络延伸和网络新品牌两种形式,通过分析网络品牌忠诚的动态形成过程,构建了网络品牌忠诚驱动要素研究模型。实证研究发现,网络品牌的符号因素、属性因素、精神因素、价值观因素、传播因素、体验因素都与网络品牌忠诚正相关,但两类网络品牌忠诚的关键驱动因素存在差别。体验因素、价值观因素和属性因素是网络新品牌忠诚的关键驱动因素,而属性因素、体验因素和传播因素对网络化的传统品牌忠诚度有重要影响。     

不同价格模式下考虑需求波动性和差异化服务的网约车平台定价决策

针对单个平台两种品牌网约车的最优定价问题,考虑平台服务质量的差异化和市场需求波动性,分别建立动态价格、差异化价格和静态价格模式下的网约车动态服务模型,运用多元函数和泛函的条件极值求得两种品牌网约车的最优定价策略。研究发现,平台最优动态价格和差异化价格均随需求波动时长单调变化,而最优静态价格并非单调。此外,平台提高差异化服务时,两种品牌网约车的最优价格均提高,但高服务质量的网约车会有更高的提价幅度;固定佣金报酬率增大时,平台最优价格均提高,但边际损失成本较大的网约车会有更高的提价幅度。最后,通过数值仿真对不同价格模式下的平台利润进行比较和灵敏度分析,并发现平台利润在市场需求稳定时差异不大。     

A dynamic model for advertising and pricing competition between national and store brands

We study the relationship between the pricing and advertising decisions in a channel where a national brand is competing with a private label. We consider a differential game that incorporates the carryover effects of brand advertising over time for both the manufacturer and the retailer and we account for the complementary and competitive roles of advertising. Analysis of the obtained equilibrium Markov strategies shows that the relationship between advertising and pricing decisions in the channel depends mainly on the nature of the advertising effects. In particular, the manufacturer reacts to higher competitive retailer’s advertising levels by offering price concessions and limiting his advertising expenditures. The retailer’s optimal reaction to competitive advertising effects in the channel depends on two factors: (1) the price competition level between the store and the national brands and (2) the strength of the competitive advertising effects. For example, in case of intense price competition between the two brands combined with a strong manufacturer’s competitive advertising effect, the retailer should lower both the store and the national brands’ prices as a reaction to higher manufacturer’s advertising levels. For the retailer, the main advantage from boosting his competitive advertising investments seems to be driven by increased revenues from the private label. The retailer should however limit his investments in advertising if the latter generates considerable competitive effects on the national brand’s sales.     

间接和混合渠道下零售商引入自有品牌的影响分析

自有品牌的引入使渠道中制造商和零售商的市场绩效发生了较大变化。本文构建了两个制造商和一个零售商情境下零售商引入自有品牌的模型,分析了在间接渠道和混合渠道两种条件下引入自有品牌对零售商、制造商市场绩效的影响。通过分析表明,在间接渠道和混合渠道下,零售商引入自有品牌后,一方面会导致制造商品牌的批发价格、零售价格和制造商利润的降低,对制造商不利;另一方面能增加渠道总利润、零售商利润及零售商在整个渠道中的利润分成,零售商应该将自有品牌的战略定位为高质高价的品牌,而非低价低质的原始状态型品牌,而制造商单纯靠改变销售渠道模式的策略并不足以对抗自有品牌的冲击。     

ZIPMAP — A Zero-One Integer Programming Model for Market Segmentation and Product Positioning

An optimization model is proposed to aid marketing managers to search for and develop new product brand ideas. The model, which is founded on individual consumer behaviour constructs, determines a position for a new brand, in the consumers' perceptual space of product attributes, that maximizes company sales. The resulting mathematical model is stated as a large-scale, mixed, zero-one, integer, non-linear mathematical programming problem whose solution is sought through a two-stage optimization approach.     

品牌的非对称需求价格弹性模型:以中国手机行业为例

本文提出了计算品牌的需求价格弹性的非对称市场反应函数模型,从而使对向上的价格弹性和向下的价格弹性的分别考量成为可能。根据此模型,本文对中国手机行业进行了实证研究,共计算了GSM市场的13个品牌和CDMA市场的9个品牌的向上和向下的价格弹性,并且通过方差分析对国内外手机品牌的价格弹性进行了比较。结果发现,在GSM和CDMA市场上国内外手机品牌的价格弹性都存在显著差异,反映了国内外手机品牌的市场力量的差异。最后根据研究结果为我国国内手机品牌提出对策建议。     

An analytical model for building brand equity in hospitality firms

Nowadays, service-oriented marketing has been playing an important role in marketing science fields. The current studies have focused on the establishment of a brand equity model and the relevant causal relationships of the model, they have not presented any consistent measurement technique. Hence, this paper aims to standardize the estimation of a constructed dimension for the equity of service-oriented brands and to solve the multiple-dimension problem inherent in this estimation. In particular, this proposed analytical model considers distinct weights for brand equity categories and attributes. Further, we intend to systematically present a deliberate procedure of the brand equity model along with a strategy to enable the further development of this procedure. By adopting quality function deployment (QFD) and consistent fuzzy preference relations, we create a valid and reliable brand equity model for hospitality firms. Finally, we empirically assess the measurement and managerial strategies related to the proposed model by illustrating the case of a restaurant chain.     

Using store level scanner data to improve category management decisions: Developing positioning maps

This paper provides evidence of the usefulness of aggregated point-of-sale scanner data to infer the positioning of competing brands, providing valuable information for category management and hence facilitating decision making. Specifically, the authors propose a methodology to study the internal market structure based on market share models with latent heterogeneity when only macro-level time series data (not individual choices) are available. The proposed approach assumes a multidimensional decomposition, latent in the preference structure that is implicit to these types of models. By empirically applying this approach, the authors (1) simultaneously identify both latent dimensions of competing brands and latent segments with different brand preferences, (2) explain the competitive positioning of brands without using disaggregated consumer panel data, and (3) achieve greater predictive performance. The findings offer insights to academics and practitioners interested in improving the practice of category management.     

Intentions-to-Buy and Claimed Brand Usage

Consumers' expressed Intentions-to-buy different brands are frequently measured in marketing research. Study of several hundred surveys shows that a relationship between the percentage I of consumers expressing such an Intention-to-buy and the percentage U claiming current Usage of the brand can be represented by a single one-parameter relationship I = K √U ± 3. This holds for different brands (large and small) in over 20 product-fields, for different demographic subgroups, for certain different definitions of the Intentions and Usage variables, for some American as well as British data, and even for trends over time.Both the nature of this relationship between I and U and the paradoxical finding that relatively few people express an Intention-to-buy a new brand which is sub-sequently successful and that relatively many people do so for a brand which is slowly dying are explained by the effect of past Usage. Methodological conclusions of the findings are indicated.     

Stochastic modelling of household behaviour before,during and after a consumer price promotion

A stochastic model is developed to study household behaviour with regard to purchase quantity, brand choice and purchase timing before, during and after a price change and a price promotion such as price-offs and price-cuts. The basic assumption of the model is that price promotion and levels of consumer inventory influence a household's purchase-timing and brand-switching decisions. The model incorporates market segments and brand switching on aggregated demand for the brands by the use of multivariate Markov processes. A transient stochastic model is employed to analyse the dynamic process of household behaviour before, during, and after a price promotion. The interpurchase time that is derived from the model does not require any assumptions and is not independently, identically distributed. An empirical analysis using the Information Resources Incorporated cracker data indicated that (1) price promotion does affect household purchase of the brand and (2) households with larger family size tend to purchase promoted items. We conjecture that households with larger family size take advantage of the lower price of the promoted brands while smaller households tend to remain loyal to one brand.     

The dynamics of brand equity: a hedonic regression approach to the laser printer market

The authors develop a dynamic hedonic regression approach to measuring the evolution of a comparative brand premium (pairwise price difference between two products that are identical in all respects apart from the brand). In contrast to existing approaches, the proposed Bayesian estimation method exploits the premia's intertemporal dependence structure, resulting in a higher level of accuracy of the estimated time paths of the brand premia. In addition, the authors present a novel, but straightforward way to construct confidence bands that cover the entire time series of brand premia with high probability. The authors apply their approach to a large, detailed data set on laser printers, which was gathered on a monthly basis over a 4-year period.     

基于灰色评价方法的高新区品牌竞争力实证研究——以重庆高新区为例

与一般的产品品牌或企业品牌相比,高新区品牌具有更多的特点,其品牌竞争力更多地依赖于区域或城市的竞争力,且影响因素很多.基于品牌视角,通过建立高新区品牌竞争力评价指标体系,利用灰色评价方法与模糊方法建立测评矩阵进行高新区品牌竞争力综合评价,为高新区品牌评价与建设提供有益参考与建议.     

Shelf-space allocation of national and private brands

We propose a game-theoretic model in which one national-brand manufacturer, acting as a leader, maximizes her own profit and one retailer, selling the national brand and her private label and acting as a follower, maximizes her category profit. We characterize the resulting Stackelberg equilibrium in terms of the amount of shelf space allocated to these brands as well as their prices. The results suggest that the allocation of the shelf space depends on the quality of the private label. In our framework, quality is measured by the baseline sales (or brand equity), the degree of brand substitution and the price positioning.     

品牌建设与创新产出的关系研究——基于信号理论的视角

高校的品牌建设是高校发展过程中必须面对的问题,本研究基于信号理论的核心构念建构了高校品牌营建的体系,并分析了高校品牌建设与创新产出的关系,研究结果显示高校可以从加强高校领导人的政治关联、营建高校与地方政府的良好关系、选择优质客户进行交易以及积极争取第三方评价机构的正向评价四个维度来构建高校品牌,优质的高校品牌资源将正向影响高校的产出绩效,而且高校品牌营建的四个维度之间存在着一定的逻辑关系,需要协同推进才能实现高的产出绩效.