Brand, Identity and Reputation: Exploring, Creating New Realities ...

However, an under researched issue is that interpersonal communications are not always brand specific. Thus, a person
can adopt a brand either as a result of communication with adopters of that brand (within-brand influence) or as a result
of an interaction with adopters of competing brands (cross-brand influence), (Barak, 2009). When new products and
brands are introduced into other cultures, the speed and extent of the product‘s acceptance are important concerns for
marketers. The spread of positive word of mouth (WOM) and the lack of negative WOM about the product or brand by
early adopter groups are critical to the product‘s successful diffusion in a population (Desmond, 2009). Brands have
evolved to represent much more than the traditional markers of quality, trust and reliability to consumers. Brands have
become embedded in the consumer psyche and offer consumers the opportunity for self-expression, self-realisation and
self-identity ( Angela, 2009).
METHODOLOGY
The paper is conceptual in nature. The authors designate the social networks influencing brands such as Facebook,
Twitter, Orkut and other so-called social media as the Dialogue Enabling Networks (DEN), and test its influence on a
brand by using 8 companies in India to arrive at a new brand communication model. The competition, company and the
brand message as external factors and a company‘s ability/inability to control all its brand communication is studied.
The study aims to find methods to prevent criticism on DENs.
THE NEW BRANDING ENVIRONMENT
The findings indicate that the new brand communication environment is that of a global village. You cannot
communicate your way out of a product problem. It is the world of DENs. In other words, how the company should
behave as a brand.
A new branding model
To match the requirements of the new paradigm a different branding model is developed by the authors. The model
takes into account the way the competition is behaving, the environment and the consumer. The new communication
model is a dialogue – not a monologue. It would have to be robust, yet malleable enough to change with the
circumstances in a way that is in keeping with its core values and its soul.
DENs have made it possible for a person to influence thousands of others, instantly and effortlessly. The study
identifies the influence of DEN on branding.
The paper offers an original and contemporary insight into the factors that constitute the new brand paradigm.
REFERENCES
1. Allen Stern (2010), The Best Social Media Definition To-Date January 21st, centernetworks.com
2. Angela Carroll,(2009), Brand communications in fashion categories using celebrity endorsement, Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan 1350-
23IX, Vol. 17, 2, 146–158
3. Barak Libai, Eitan Muller, & Renana Peres, (2009), The Role of Within-Brand and Cross-Brand Communications in Competitive Growth, Journal
of Marketing, Vol. 73 , May, 19–34.
4. Beth Lane, (2007), Media Studies Definitions, Mass Media Terms and Concepts for Lessons and Discussion May 18, Suite 101.com
5. Bob Levenson, Bill Bernbach( 1987), A history of the advertising that changed the history of advertising, 1 st edition, Villard Books,
New York.
6. Coyle, C. L. and Vaughn, H. (2008), Social networking: Communication revolution or evolution?. Bell Labs Technical Journal, 13, Aug,: 13–17.
doi: 10.1002/bltj.20298
7. David A Aaker, ( 1991), Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, June
1991
8. Desmond Lam, Alvin Lee, and Richard Mizerski, ( 2009), The effects of cultural values in Word-of-Mouth Communication , Journal of
International Marketing, ©2009, American Marketing Association, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 55–70
9. John Pallister, John daintith,( 1990), Dictionary of Business and Management, Oxford University press, 4 th edition, June 1.
10. Josko Brakus, Bernd H. Schmitt, & Lia Zarantonello (2009), Brand Experience: What Is It? How Is It Measured? Does It Affect Loyalty?, Journal
of Marketing, Vol. 73 , May, 52–68
11. Kevin Lane Keller,(2009), Building strong brands in a modern marketing communications Environment, Journal of Marketing Communications,
Vol. 15, Nos. 2–3, April–July, 139–155
12. Landor (2010), The Big Book of Marketing: The Essentials of Branding, McGraw-Hill, July.
13. McLuhan, ( 1964), Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, McGraw-Hill,
.
204