Date post: | 06-Dec-2014 |
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Destination brand molecule
Stanislav Ivanov, PhD
International University College, Bulgaria
Email: [email protected]
Steven F. Illum, PhD and Yating Liang, PhD
Missouri State University, USA
Destination brand molecule
Destination brand and brand image
Brand molecule
Destination brand molecule
Brand concept map
Destination brand molecule methodology
Application of the destination brand molecule concept
References
Destination brand and brand image
A brand is defined as “identifiable product, service, person or place, augmented in such a way that the buyer or user perceives relevant, unique added values which match their needs most closely” (de Chernatony and McDonald, 2003: 25)
Within the core of branding lies the creating of brand image
Destination brand image generally refers to a compilation of beliefs and impressions based on information processing from various sources over time (Crompton, 1979)
Destination brand and brand image
Marketers are interested not in the individual’s perceptions of a destination but the predominant perceptions actual and potential tourists hold about a destination and the links between these perceptions (the organisation of brand perceptions in tourists’ minds) – “Perception is reality”!
Current destination image measurement methodologies – 5- and 7-point Likert scales, semantic differentials, predetermined forced scales and destination attributes
Brand molecule
Lederer and Hill (2001)
Destination brand molecule
Silver and Hill (2002)
Brand concept map
John et al (2006)
Destination brand molecule
methodology
Stages:
Elicitation
Mapping
Aggregation
Consensus molecule
Validation
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept
Methodology was tested with 2 groups of
students in International University
College, Bulgaria and Missouri State
University, USA in 2009
Destination brand “Las Vegas”
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Elicitation
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Elicitation
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Elicitation
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Mapping
Respondents were presented the Aaker (1996) brand map of McDonald’s Restaurants for an example, and were asked to prepare similar individual maps for Las Vegas. We asked them to apply the following mapping rules:
use only but not all the associations from the aggregated lists
use 1, 2 or 3 lines between associations to denote a weak, medium or strong connection between the associations, respectively.
use +, – or 0 to denote a positive, negative or neutral influence of a particular association to the overall image of the destination – a so called “valence” of an association.
The 43 Bulgarian respondents generated useful 41 molecules while the 50 US respondents created 47 useful ones.
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Mapping
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Aggregation
Summarising the associations, the links between them, the strength of the links and the association valences
Separately for Bulgarian and US respondents
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept – Consensus molecule
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Validation
Application of the destination brand
molecule concept - Assessment
The concept is applicable to every type of destination or large attraction
It shows how tourists perceive the destination
Tourists and potential tourists have limited time and the probability that they would like to participate in both stages of the research is not very high
The destination brand molecule is not a panacea for struggling destinations that have serious problems – it is a fine-tuning tool
References
de Chernatony, L., M. McDonald (2003) Creating powerful brands. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann
Crompton, J. L. (1979) An assessment of the image of Mexico as a vacation destination and the influence of geographical location upon that image. Journal of Travel Research 17(4), 18-24
Ivanov, S., S. Illum, Y. Liang (2010) Application of destination brand molecule on destination image and brand perception: An exploratory study. Tourism 58(4), 339-360
John, D. R., B. Loken, K. Kim, A. B. Monga (2006) Brand concept maps: A methodology for identifying brand association networks. Journal of Marketing Research 43(4), 549-563
Lederer, C., S. Hill (2001) See your brands through your customers’ eyes. Harvard Business Review 79(6), 125-133
Silver, S., S. Hill (2002) Selling brand America. Journal of Business Strategy 23(4), 10-15