Effect of the Influential Factors on Brand Equity

브랜드 자산가치의 형성에 미치는 영향요인에 관한 연구

The management environment in Korea today is undergoing rapid changes; in particular, domestic corporations and businesses are confronting formidable adversity with IMF crisis and WTO. Though cost cutback, higher quality, rapid production, and diversification of products were accepted as important requirements for competitiveness in the past, they have been replaced by brand power. Consumption patterns have changed their focus from function to image orientation. This is why managers in corporations have invested enormous amounts of resources into producing powerful brands, which can attract consumers' attention greatly enough to improve the image of their products. Brands are regarded as a vital vehicle for marketing strategies and thus as a legal asset. Brands with remarkable and favorable image can secure a loyal consumer groups stable revenues. M & A, currently active between corporations, makes brand equity all the more important. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of internal marketing and increased brand diversification on brand equity by combining them as influential factors with marketing mix factor. For this purpose, literature review was make on previous fragmented studies of influential factors on brand equity build-up. Based on the findings of this study, some operational implications were suggested for marketing managers. The findings and implications of the present study are as follows; First, efficient communication among organization members was found to have a significant effect on product quality. Second, job satisfaction and efficient communication among members was shown to significantly influence price policies. Thirdly, efficient communication among organization workers proved to have a significant effect on distribution strategies. Forth, efficient communication among members was demonstrated to significantly influence advertisement and other public-relations activities. Fifth, opacity of market environment appeared to have a significant effect on product quality, prior market entrance as perceived by organization members turned to be of negative influence on product quality. Sixth, opacity of market environment was found to have a significant effect on price policies. Seventh, opacity of market environment was shown to be of significant effect on distribution strategies. Eighth, grater opacity of market environment proved to improve advertisement and other public-relations activities. Ninth, price policies, distribution strategies, advertisement and public-relations activities were found to have a significant effect on brand equity value. To sum up these findings, in order for corporations and businesses to cope with consumers' needs that are increasingly segmented, internal marketing strategies and brand diversification should be implemented so as to generate greater synergy effect. It is also important to stress that differentiated, higher competitiveness should be secured for Korean corporations and businesses to survive in the drastically changing, globalized market environment. In this regard, continuous and long-term management strategies for brand equity build-up should be ensured and is essential in the present unlimited competition. The last but not least important point to notice is that to increase brand equity value, intensive investment and constant emphasis should be made on internal marketing management on intra-organizational members before strengthening external marketing.

현대는 산업 문명의 발달로 시장의 세계화가 급속히 진행되고 있다. 비슷한 품질과 서비스를 제공하는 수많은 기업들은 각기 다양한 방법으로 자사의 제품을 차별화하며 보다 많은 시장점유율과 매출액, 이윤을 창출하기 위하여 부단한 노력을 기울이고 있다. 이 중에서 가장 대표적인 것이 자사의 브랜드를 강력하게 만틀어 관리하는 일이다. 현대의 소비자는 상품을 사지 않는다. 그들은 복잡한 설명서도 읽지 않으며, 가격으로 물건을 평가하지도 않는다. 단지 자신의 머릿속에 각인된 브랜드를 선택한다. 브랜드는 오늘날 고도의 마케팅 전략의 핵심 도구로 취급되고, 또한 중요한 법적 자산으로 평가되고 있다. 따라서, 기업의 마케터들은 자사 제품의 가치를 높이기 위한 수단으로서 브랜드 자체의 명성을 구축하는 데 심혈을 기물이고 있다. 유명하고 좋은 이미지를 가진 브랜드만이 충성 스러운 고객기반을 확보할 수 있고 가격 경쟁에서 유리한 위치를 점할 수 있으며 안정된 수 익을 확보할 수 있기 때문이다. 이와 같이, 브랜드는 비록 무형적이지만 제품이 가진 어떤 유형적인 특성보다도 중요하게 생각되고 있는 것이다- 단순히 생산자나 제품을 구별하는 수단을 넘어 중요한 자산으로 인 식되고 있으며, 이러한 맥락에서 브랜드 자산가치의 개념이 만들어 진 것이다. 본 연구는 브랜드 자산가치의 형성에 미치는 영향요인으로서 내부마케팅 요인, 마케팅믹스 요인, 브랜드수의 증가요인의 3가지 요인을 설정하여 설문조사를 통한 판매자의 평가 결과로 어떤 요인이 어느 정도의 영향을 미치는지를 분석하였다. 본 연구에서 나타난 결과를 요약하면 내부마케팅요인(조직구성원간의 직무만족, 조직구성 원간의 원활한 커뮤니케이션), 마케팅믹스요인(제품 품질, 가격정책, 유통전략, 광고 및 홍보 활동), 브랜드수의 증가요인(시장환경의 불투명성, 시장진입의 선발감)이 모두 다 브랜드 자산가치의 형성에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다.