THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BRAND AWARENESS AND BRAND EQUITY: Social Media and Branding
Author
Uyirwoth, Erick
Term
4. term
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-08-15
Pages
99
Abstract
Branding is increasingly used to gain competitive advantage, build customer loyalty, differentiate offerings, and grow brand equity. To achieve this, firms must reach customers through traditional channels or digital platforms. Social media has become a powerful digital tool for building brand awareness. This thesis examines how social media influences brand awareness (how many people know and recognize a brand) and brand equity (the value a brand holds in customers’ minds), and uses the CBBE model (Customer-Based Brand Equity) to suggest how firms can build strong brands. The study is qualitative and based on a single case of Bravo Shoes Uganda Ltd. It includes a review of literature on branding, brand awareness, brand equity, and social media; semi-structured interviews with the company’s CEO and customers; and online observation. The work is grounded in social constructionism (the view that realities are shaped through social interaction) and a deductive approach (testing theory-driven ideas). Findings show that social media increases brand awareness by reaching larger audiences, creating content for different groups, and through reviews, comments, sharing, and co-creation. Social media also strengthens brand equity through positive brand associations, higher sales, the ability to charge a price premium, and serving as an additional touchpoint. Guided by the CBBE model, the thesis recommends that Bravo Shoes build customer resonance by establishing a clear brand identity, communicating meaningful brand associations, eliciting positive responses, and nurturing strong, long-term relationships.
I dag bruges branding i stigende grad til at opnå konkurrencefordele, skabe kundeloyalitet, differentiere produkter og tjenester og øge mærkeværdien. For at lykkes skal virksomheder nå ud til kunder gennem traditionelle kanaler eller digitale platforme. Sociale medier er blevet et stærkt digitalt værktøj til at skabe mærkekendskab. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan sociale medier påvirker mærkekendskab (hvor mange der kender og genkender et brand) og mærkeværdi (den værdi brandet har i kundernes bevidsthed), og anvender CBBE-modellen (Customer-Based Brand Equity) til at foreslå, hvordan virksomheder kan opbygge stærke brands. Undersøgelsen er kvalitativ og bygger på et enkelt casestudie af Bravo Shoes Uganda Ltd. Den omfatter en litteraturgennemgang om branding, mærkekendskab, mærkeværdi og sociale medier; semistrukturerede interviews med virksomhedens CEO og kunder; samt online observation. Som videnskabsteoretisk ramme anvendes socialkonstruktivisme (opfattelsen af, at virkelighed skabes socialt) og en deduktiv tilgang (teoribaseret afprøvning). Resultaterne viser, at sociale medier øger mærkekendskab ved at nå ud til flere målgrupper, skabe indhold der tiltaler forskellige typer mennesker, og gennem anmeldelser, kommentarer, delinger og samskabelse. Sociale medier styrker også mærkeværdien gennem positive brandassociationer, øget salg, mulighed for at tage en højere pris (price premium) og ved at fungere som et ekstra kontaktpunkt. Med udgangspunkt i CBBE-modellen anbefales Bravo Shoes at skabe resonans med kunderne ved at opbygge en tydelig brandidentitet, etablere meningsfulde brandassociationer, fremkalde positive reaktioner og udvikle stærke, langvarige relationer.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]