The Power of Brand - Essay Example

Today, a brand is made out of not one, but a host of cultural ideas. Branding as a strategy involves a multitude of elements such as symbols, words and images; experiences and feelings, patterns of belonging, allegiance and identity; values, belief systems and knowledge; and many, many, many more. (Grant, 2006, p. 90) This study concerns the power of international brands of consumer goods to foster consumer loyalty to the brand. The dissertation proposes to explore the phenomenon of brand communities of international brands in local society, to describe and document how these brand communities distinguish themselves from one another in terms of their common viewpoints, attitudes towards their product brand, their rituals and traditions.

It shall thereafter be verified whether this same set of values, representations, behaviour patterns and rituals are replicated in similar brand communities in other parts of the world. In particular, the study shall focus on the existence of brand communities as an element of the market strategy that seeks to foster what may be almost described as a “cult following” – a phenomenon more persistent than a fad and which has every indication of a subculture that goes beyond merely repeatedly purchasing the product.

The study shall examine those brands for which the phenomenon has entrenched itself, such as the following suggested brands: One may argue that “Harry Potter” or “Star Wars” may be classified as “brands” for the purpose of this study, despite both being concoctions of literature and cinema. It cannot be denied that what was one book and one movie have spawned not only into a series of books and movies (commercially successful, one might add), but also several other product lines that have proved profitably franchises because they carried the names “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars”.

In this manner, it may be said that “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” have evolved into