Brand orientation and brand values in retail banking

Abstract

This exploratory study seeks to provide an appreciation of brand orientation in retail banking. Through in-depth interviews at head office and branch level, we explore managers’ brand mind-set. We also surface managers’ views about the relationship between market and brand orientation. Further, we examine managers’ perceptions about the role of brand values as resources in creating a brand orientation. In a large-scale study of front-line employees, we examine the level of agreement with brand values, and describe differences in brand buy-in across employee clusters.

Keywords:

• brand orientation
• values
• in-depth interviews
• employee survey
• cluster analysis

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elaine Wallace

Elaine Wallace is a senior lecturer in marketing at the J. E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland. Elaine completed her doctorate at the University of Birmingham, working with Professor de Chernatony. Her subsequent research has explored the antecedents and components of service employee performance, the role of the front-line employee as brand champion, and the nature and management of brand sabotage. She has published her research in international journals, including the Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Marketing, and Journal of Marketing Management, supported by funding from the Irish Research Council.

Isabel Buil

Isabel Buil is a senior lecturer in the department of marketing management at the University of Zaragoza, Spain. She holds a PhD in Business Administration. She has been a visiting scholar at Aston Business School and Birmingham Business School, UK. Isabel is a member of the research group Generes recognised by the Government of Aragon. She has published research papers in both local and international journals. She has attended and presented research papers at national and international conferences.

T [phone]

E [email protected]

Leslie de Chernatony

Leslie de Chernatony is honorary professor of brand marketing at Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK and managing partner at Brands Box Marketing & Research Consultancy. His research is globally disseminated through his books (e.g. From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation, Creating Powerful Brands, etc.), frequent international conference presentations, and a significant stream of international journal articles, some of which have won best paper prizes. Leslie is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a fellow of the Market Research Society, and a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketers. He has run many highly acclaimed branding workshops globally. His advice has been sought by organisations throughout the world on developing more effective brand strategies. On several occasions, he has acted as an expert witness in court cases over branding issues.

E [email protected]