Kong Cheen Lau, Sean Lee and Ian Phau
The purpose of this study is to investigate the motivations, attitudes and intentions towards luxury dining in airplane themed restaurants (ATRs). The moderating roles of desire…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the motivations, attitudes and intentions towards luxury dining in airplane themed restaurants (ATRs). The moderating roles of desire to fly, desire for luxury and fear of missing out (FOMO) towards attitude and intention to embark on this ATR experience are also investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected through a consumer panel. A total of 315 valid responses were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group moderation. To enhance ecological validity, a stimulus for the Singapore Airlines A380 Restaurant @Changi was created to ensure complete understanding of the product offering by the participants.
Findings
Three motivation factors were discovered – novelty, escape and supporting reliving. Interestingly, it was also found that the attitude towards ATR partially mediated the relationship between supportive reliving and intention towards ATRs. Disposition towards FOMO was found to moderate the effect of attitude towards ATR on intention towards ATR. Negative effect between escape motivation and attitude towards the ATR from the moderation analysis for desire for luxury and desire to fly shows that people are still hesitant to accept the ATR as a replacement to satisfy their salient needs for luxury travel.
Practical implications
Insights of this study demonstrate that local airlines could pivot their business through innovative offerings during the pandemic. The ATR concept can be effectively marketed by appealing to hedonistic and nationalistic needs and to avoid positioning it as an alternative for flying.
Originality/value
This is a novel concept introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unprecedentedly, it uncovers the motivations, attitudes and intentions towards luxury dining in ATRs as a means to compensate for the pent-up desire to relive the experience of air travel.
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Keywords
Graham Ferguson, Kong Cheen Lau and Ian Phau
Focusing on symbolic brands, this paper aims to re-test whether perceived â€∼fit’ between the personality of the parent brand, and the brand extension causes consumers to the feel…
Abstract
Purpose
Focusing on symbolic brands, this paper aims to re-test whether perceived â€∼fit’ between the personality of the parent brand, and the brand extension causes consumers to the feel increased affect towards the brand extension. The contention is that high brand personality fit causes consumers to like the brand extension more because, like the parent brand, consumers can use the brand extension to maintain and project a desirable self-identity. This relationship is obscured because consumers process brand personality fit as part of the overall brand image fit; therefore, the potential mediating role of brand image is tested. Consumers differ in their self-monitoring disposition as well, which may explain differences in response to perceived personality fit. Therefore, the potential moderating role of self-monitoring is tested.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an experimental design, respondents viewed an advertisement for a brand extension that showed either congruent, moderately incongruent or incongruent personality fit with the parent brand. This was completed for four symbolic brands: two watch brands and two motor vehicle brands.
Findings
The results indicate that brand personality fit between the brand extension and the parent brand is causally related to affect felt towards the brand extension, but that this relationship is fully mediated by image fit for the BMW brand and partially mediated for Volkswagen Beetle, Omega and Swatch. For BMW and Swatch, the relationship between the independent variable personality fit and the mediator variable image fit is positively moderated by the self-monitoring disposition of the consumer.
Research limitations/implications
The implication is that, while marketers can communicate a wide range of attributes when advertising brand extensions, marketers of symbolic brands should clearly demonstrate brand personality fit as an important component of brand image fit. This is even more important for consumers with a high self-monitoring disposition.
Originality/value
The study conclusively tests the importance of personality fit for symbolic brands, the mediating role of brand image and the interaction effect of self-monitoring on personality fit. These findings contribute to the research literature and help marketers to manage the level of personality fit that should be emphasized in their marketing communications.
Details
Keywords
The concept of brand transformation concerns a brand strategy that advocates radical changes. It involves a collective set of actions and activities that are coherently steered to…
Abstract
Purpose
The concept of brand transformation concerns a brand strategy that advocates radical changes. It involves a collective set of actions and activities that are coherently steered to regenerate the engagement experience of the target market emanating from the brand strategy. Nevertheless, there are still lack of case studies demonstrating this in the B2B business sector. The purpose of this paper is to exhibit a brand transformation initiative taken by a B2B business, particularly the handling challenges leading to the initiative coupled with the framework and processes involved to make it a success.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study method was applied with documentation of inputs captured from different stakeholders. Consulting practitioners from a brand consultancy involved in the brand transformation initiative documented interviews and audit findings which offered first-hand report regarding their involvement and experience of bringing the B2B business through the brand transformation journey.
Findings
Brand transformation at Fagerdala warranted a radical re-orientation of the brand positioning that supports a clear business intent that was put forward. The initiative encompasses strong leadership, commitment and change management to drive transformational changes involving both internal and external stakeholders. An innovation oriented mind-set is critical to drive radical changes to support coherent efforts that could ultimately engender to distinct brand experience to targeted stakeholders.
Practical implications
This paper provides brand managers, particularly the brand owners practical and realisable example on how to plan and execute brand transformation in a B2B business environment. More specifically, it highlights the indicators for embarking on this initiative, the approach to drive brand transformation based on established brand strategy frameworks and finally how to execute the strategy in a practical manner.
Originality/value
This paper extends the concept of brand transformation that has recently been mentioned in literature from one of conceptual perspective to one of practice perspective. It emphasises and underscores some of the details of execution that is instrumental in the practice of brand transformation within a B2B industry sector.