:THE IMPACT OF BRAND IMAGE ON CONSUMER TASTE PREFERENCE:

INTRODUCTION:
Defining the Brand:
A brand can be defined as the "relationship" with the consumer. Relationships are built on
experiences. The relationship with a consumer constitutes the sum of his experiences with your
brand. Because the concept of a brand is the totality of a consumer's experiences with the brand,
the consumer "owns" the brand because he owns his experiences with that brand, according to
the Advertising Educational Foundation. As a business owner, you might own the trademark,
which identifies the brand, but consumers will help define your brand.
Brand is a powerful tool to attract more consumers to buy particular products. In a developed
country like UK, clothing industry is one of the major industries that substantially contribute to
the economy. As consumers decision making plays a big role in any market, it is vital to study
how consumers make their choices when purchasing clothes to evaluate the impact of any
particular brand in the market, especially due to the availability of various existing varieties and
tough competition among different brands. Not all consumers are loyal to a single brand and
many; often switch between different brands possibly due to different marketing techniques and
promotional offers used by competing brands. This poses economic risk to certain brands and
even to the nations that represent these brands. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the
producers of these clothes to study the consumer behavior and their preferences towards various
promotional offers and discounts; an effective market research in this regard may include
questions that enquire the consumers about the promotional schemes that attracted them, the
advertising media through which they can most likely be reached, their interests in knowing
more about the brand. As far as the UK clothing industry is concerned, there is a fashion for own
brand development, determined markets, tough competitive activities, a polarized marketplace,
short-life-cycle products, as well as fluctuating consumer requirements (Marciniak and Bruce,
2004; Siddiqui et al., 2003). As per Moore (1995), textile retailers tend to be inclined to create
product differentiation in which they can distinguish themselves from their potential competitors
in terms of product character like design and price. Even though the UK is overwhelmed with

fashion brands, the market is characterized by products with small differentiation (Birtwhistle
and Freathy, 1998; moore, 1995).
The marketers principal objective is typically to build a relationship with buyers, rather than
merely to make a single sale. Ideally, the essence of that relationship consists of a strong bond
between the buyer and the brand. Outlines six strategies for building that relationship: linking the
brand to a particular need; associating it with a pleasant mood; appealing to subconscious
motives; conditioning buyers to prefer the brand through reward; penetrating perceptual and
cognitive barriers to create preference; and providing attractive models for buyers to emulate.
The choice of an individual strategy or combination depends mainly on the nature of the branded
product or service. The success of the strategy depends heavily on the marketers understanding
of the preference building and bonding process.
In order to understand the effect that the brand identity has on consumers, the consistency of
identity with the brand concept has to be emphasized through the company's strategic options.
This will facilitate the recognition and brand recall by consumers in an environment where there
are multiple competitive options (Sonnier and Ainslie, 2011). The consistency of the brand
concept must stand the test of time, leading to the creation of an identity. There should be a
consistent increase during a prolonged period, the strategies for creating the concept of brand, to
keep the connection between identity and brand image (Chernatony and McDonald, 2003).

LITERATURE REVIEW:
Brand, in Old English, was used before the 12th century as the word brnan, meaning to burn.
It later extended its meaning to indicate the burning mark made by hot iron to designate
ownership or manufacturing quality (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Today, a simple definition of a
brand, from the American Marketing Association, is the "name, term, design, symbol, or any
other feature that identifies one seller's product distinct from those of other sellers (AMA, n.d.).
A strong and valuable brand is considered to bring companies more sales and reputation. The
definition of brand value is the totality of 12 perceptions and feelings that consumers have
about any item identified by a brand name, including its identity, quality and performance,

familiarity, trust, perceptions about the emotions and values the brand symbolizes, and user
imagery (Batra, Ahuvia & Sankaranarayanan, 2012, p.1).
In traditional marketing theory, brand value creation depends on the firms advertising
expenditure, pricing techniques, and product solutions, and can be measured by collecting data
on customers ability to associate brand and their perceived quality of the brands products
(Kamakura & Russell, 1992). From a previously established managerial perspective, brand value
(or equity) is the outcome of long-term investments designed to build a sustainable, differential
advantage relative to competitors (Doyle, 1990). In this traditional view, consumers are merely
the receivers of brand value and interact with the firms only at the point of sale. With the
advancement of technology, it is harder and harder for firms to have control over brand value.
The meaning of value and the process of value creation are rapidly shifting from a product- and
firm-centric view to personalized consumer experiences. Informed, networked, empowered, and
active consumers are increasingly co-creating value with the firm (Prahalad & Ramaswamy,
2004, p. 5).
In regards to new dynamics of the market place, the concept of brand value co-creation becomes
extremely relevant. The relationship between companies and customers are no longer based on
goods and monetary exchange but on sharing and co-creating 13 brand value through dialogue
or, in the case of Instagram, image sharing. From the 1980s, researchers started to challenge the
old good-dominant logic of marketing in which focused on the exchange of tangible goods and
shifted the focus to the service-dominant logic with emphasis on the exchange of intangibles
goods like skills, knowledge, and process (Payne, Storbacka, Frowe & Knox, 2009).From a
goods-dominant logic perspective, suppliers produce products and customers buy them. With a
service-dominant logic, customers engage in dialogue and interaction with their suppliers during
product design, production, delivery and consumption (Payne, et al., 2009, p. 80). The
dialogue between customers and suppliers breaks down the wall of traditional marketing and
provides opportunities of brand value co-creation. We started to see the emergence of
customizing consumer consumers who examine market offerings and create a customized
consumption experience for themselves (Bendaupudi & Leone, 2003, p. 14). However, scholars
in the 1990s who studied customer participation mainly focused on assessing benefits, mostly
monetary, that can be brought by customers coproduction process and how firms should treat

customers as partial employees in order to efficiently manage them (Bendaupudi & Leone, 2003,
p.15). Many researchers in the 2000s focused on the consumers participation in the production
of content and innovation of services with little mention on the brand value (Potts, Hartley,
Banks, Burgess, Cobcroft, Cunningham & Montgomery, 2008; Vargo, Maglio & Akaka, 2008;
Bendaupudi & Leone, 2003). Exceptions are Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2004) and Payne, et al.
(2009) who focuses on the co-creation perspective in which the brand value become customized
experiences consumers share among themselves. Related the concept 14 to this research, the
sharing of brand experiences on Instagram can thus be seen as an ongoing process of brand value
co-creation.
According to Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2004), the market is a forum for the consumers and
firms to interact and create unique value and the roles of the company and the consumer
converge. The firm and the consumer are both collaborators and competitors: collaborators in cocreating value and competitors for the extraction of value (p. 11).

RESEARCH DESIGN:
The researcher adopted the quantitative research method for the research proposal. In this
research proposal the researcher collected the data through questionnaire and also collected
primary and secondary data.
Secondary data
Secondary data was collected from different articles, books, and encyclopedia.
Primary data
Primary data is collected by researcher through Questioners from different students and other
consumers in KPK.

DATA ANALYSIS
The actual questions like which brand do you like to take, Have you ever gotten into financial
and legal difficulties which may interrupt your decision and also ask like, On occasion do you

feel uncomfortable if your desire brand is not available or Once in a while can you experience
uneasy in case your desire brand seriously isn't obtainable. After which this researcher analysis
the information to created SPSS Software analysis.
SPSS SOFTWARE:
SPSS software version 16.0 will be used for analysis the data. The linear Regression and some
other statistical tools will be use for calculating our desired objectives.
POPULATION:
This study titled The impact of brand image that effect the customers taste preference. The
data will be collect through structured questionnaire to analyze the impact of brand image that
effect the customers taste preference. The research will be carry out in Kohat University of
Science and technology ( KUST). The prescribed area is situated at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
SAMPLE:
In this study out of total population i.e. a sample size of 195 will be selected. The nature of the
respondents will be i.e. final semester students and faculty members of Kohat University. The
universe of this study comprised of Kohat University, i.e. KUST five Faculties Departments.
Most of the respondents (80%) will be between 26-28 years of age group.
RATIONALE OF STUDY:
The rationale of our study is to know about the different aspects of brand image that effect the
customers taste preference and what are the different environmental issues that are facing while
using brand. As we know that the brands have some impact on every individuals life. We
conduct a research to know the views of different customers about the usage of brand and what
are the effects of brand image on consumers taste preference. Therefore the rationale of the
study is to highlight different impact of brand image, discuss different suggestions for how to
take steps for to select good brand in the entire competitive global market.
SCOPE OF RESEARCH

Since there is no single theory that can be applied directly to this emerging topic of brand value
co-creation, many theoretical frameworks were combined to shape this research. The general
purpose of this research is to add to the existing literature of brand value co-creation by
exploring how corporations and consumers are sharing brand images. In addition, the research
aims to provide managerial suggestions to the industry on how to utilize different resources that
create brand values.
FRAME WORK:

RESEARCH LIMITATION;
The limited time-frame applied to sample the customer-created images may cause the author to
miss some key data that need more time to develop.
Due to the limited scope of this research and the authors difficulty in attaining the data, there
were several sets of data that might be significant to this topic left unanalyzed. This research
pointed out the risks of losing brand control due to customers sharing of brand images.
QUESTIONNAIRE:
As quantitative we distribute our research questionnaire among specified consumers; whatever
response receive from the responded, we will then further proceed our research process.
DISCUSSION:

In our research plan we will also discuss the entire prescribe issue with different qualified well
known persons, and also collect different opinions from other concern parties. Then on the baises
of such discussions and opinions we can easily identify the exact factors that affect the consumer
taste preference.
CONCLUSION:
On the biases of all above research conclusion will be drawn that whether the brand image have
some impact on consumer taste preference or what factors are involved in decisions process.
FEATURES AREA:
Future area of research will also be suggested once research is completed.

REFERENCES:
Aaker, J. L. (1997). Dimensions of Brand Personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 34(3),
347356.
Bendapudi, N. & Leone, R. P. (2003). Psychological Implications of Customer Participation in
Co-Production. The Journal of Marketing, 67(1), 14-28.
Berry, L. L.(2000). Cultivating Service Brand Equity. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science,
28(1), 128-137.
Doyle, P. (1990). Building successful brands: The strategic options. Journal of Consumer
Marketing 7, 5-20.
Gruen, T. W. Osmonbekov, T. & Czaplewski, A. J. (2006) eWOM:The Impact of
CustomertoCustomer Online KnowHow Exchange on Customer Value and Loyalty. Journal of
Business Research, 59(4), 449-456.
Guest, G. & MacQueen, N. (2012). Introduction to Thematic Analysis in Applied Thematic
Analysis.
Messaris, P. (1997) Visual Persuasion: the Role of Images in Advertising.Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.

Muniz, M. B. & OGuinn, C. T. (2001). Brand Community. Journal of Consumer Research,

27(4), 412-432.
Oswald, L. (2011). Marketing Semiotics: Signs, Culture, and Brand Value. Oxford, GBR: Oxford
University Press.
Payne, A., Storbacka, K., Frowe, P., & Knox, S. (2009) Co-creating Brands: Diagnosing and
Designing the Relationship Experience. Journal of Business Research, 62, 379389.
Prahalad, C. K., & Ramaswamy, V. (2004). Co-Creation Experiences: The Next Practice in Value
Creation. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18, 514.
Rajeev, B., Ahuvia, A., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2012). Brand Love. Journal of Marketing,76 (1), 116.

ANNEXURE:
Q1: How much do you care about using brands?
Q2:

List down a few product of your own choice?

Q3: What is the image of the selected brand in your mind?

Q4: Do you know the companies Vision and Mission of the entire products?
Q5: Can you identify their logos?
Q6: How do you differentiate these products from others?
Q7: Do you trust on these products?
Q8: Do you think that these products have good words of mouth publicity?
Q9: Do these products provides a sense of self-esteem to you?