Primer in B2B brand-building strategies with a reader practicum

Abstract

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oThis primer examines the empirical evidence about business-to-business (B2B) brands and its implications for brand strategy. Some of world's most valuable brands are predominantly B2B in nature, however brand marketing texts typically assume a consumer branding (B2C) perspective. The question arises as to whether or not branding is important in B2B marketing. This primer considers the following question. How do B2B brands create and deliver value for firms in inter-organizational transactions? The paper begins by examining the relevance of current theoretical frameworks of branding to B2B value creation. Next the study considers the brand value chain and the contribution of extant B2B research at its various stages. The paper concludes by examining areas for future research in B2B branding and presents a reader practicum.

The impact of entrepreneurial orientation on B2B branding and business growth in emerging markets

“…The high costs associated with acquiring new customers -compared to retaining current ones -has generated much interest in ensuring customer satisfaction and retention (Storbacka, Strandvik, & Grönroos, 1994). This also applies to the B2B context, given that the number of potential customers is often limited (Glynn, 2012). Of course, firms still need to pay attention to acquiring new customers since zero customer defections cannot be achieved (Egan, 2008).…”

“…Walley et al (2007), for example, report that brand names have a notable effect on the purchase of agricultural machinery. The recent literature reviews by Glynn (2012) and Leek and Christodoulides (2011) offer additional evidence of the relevance of brands for industrial firms. Leek and Christodoulides (2012) further report that brands facilitate the birth and development of business-to-business relationships.…”

Determinants of brand relevance in a B2B service purchasing context

“…In a buying situation, brands can benefit the business customer by increasing purchase confidence in a process where emphasis is given to risk reduction (Mudambi, 2002), especially in high-risk buying situations involving significant expenditures and possible technical problems like B2B decisions (Lynch and de Chernatony, 2004;Glynn, 2012;Leek and Christodoulides, 2012). Also, business buyers gain acceptance for their own goods by associating themselves with prestigious top suppliers (Mudambi, 2002;Leek and Christodoulides, 2012).…”

Industrial Ingredient Co-branding: A Brand Relationship Approach

“…It might be interesting to extend the knowledge of perceived ingredient co-branding value (Glynn, 2012) from the points of view of different industrial segments, by researching different customers in different contexts. Since industrial branding is strongly related to specific markets and contexts, extending these findings to other industries and other contexts should be undertaken with caution.…”

“…The authors agree with Van Durme et al's (2003) position, who illustrated how the brand-equity concept reveals only a functional and transactional aspect of the relationship between buyers and brands, that it is largely measured by a buyers' willingness to pay a premium price (Bendixen et al, 2004;Chaudhuri & Holbrook, 2001;Hutton, 1997). Moreover, Van Durme et al (2003) underlined that the relationship between brands and buyers contains elements of trust, affection and a willingness to maintain a long-lasting interaction, that merit deeper exploration especially in the industrial marketing context (Ambler, 1997;Brodie, Glynn, & Van Durme, 2002;Delgado-Ballester & Munuera-Alemán, 2005;Glynn, 2012).…”