Background.
Previous research on the investigation of brand personality (BP) can be found to use the personification metaphor of brands through celebrities, occupations and animals. Brand image research aims to discover the human characteristics attached to a brand. In this regard, the author suggests that as music can tell much of the personality of a person, then it would be possible to know the personality of a brand through music.
The rationale behind is that music elicits “extramusical” information, such as emotions, values, dress codes and stereotypes of people; in relation to musical-genres.
Purpose.
This research aims to explore how music can help to produce brand knowledge. In particular how the extramusical information conveyed by musical-genres can be used as language to talk about the personality of a brand.
Methodology.
The empirical research was developed within an Interpretive research paradigm to learn from the perspective of consumers of hip-hop music in Sweden, how brand knowledge can be obtained from music as cognitive schema (CS).
The data was gathered using a mixed-method research design. Two different projective techniques were employed in group sessions. On one session (N=11), visual collages were used to visually represent the brands using images of musicians and their description with brand personality traits. The second session (N=12) consisted of an associative task using music, followed by the application of the brand personality scale. The interpretation and analysis of findings was done through the triangulation of the methods’ data.
Conclusions.
The use of music genres as CS to produce brand knowledge can provide insightful information on the lifestyle and type of users that buy, consume or wear the brand.
Extramusical information helps understand characteristics of BP through the lifestyle and profile of the musician or music-fan that was associated with the brand. In particular, brand knowledge can be gained in terms of demographic and psychographic characteristics associated to the brand. However, several theoretical implications for further research were identified in order to consolidate the BP/consumer/music relationship.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction of the research topic
1.2. Problematization
1.3. Purpose of the study
1.3.1. Research questions
1.4. Perspective of the study
1.5. Structure of the thesis
1.6. Contribution of the study
1.7. Definitions and abbreviations
2. Theoretical Framework
2.1. Defining brand personality (BP)
2.1.1. The function and role of BP
2.1.2. Anthropomorphism
2.1.3. “Brands are like friends”
2.2. Measuring BP
2.2.1. “The Big Five” personality dimensions
2.2.2. Projective techniques.
2.2.3. Collages
2.3. Musical-genres as cognitive schemas
2.3.1. Extramusical information
2.3.2. Music-genres as cognitive schemas
2.4. Summary of the literature review
3. Methodology
3.1. Context of the study: hip-hop and sneakers
3.2. Population of study
3.3. Research philosophy
3.4. Research design
3.4.1. Multiple-method research strategy
3.5. Structure and plan for data collection
3.6. Methodological procedure
3.6.1. Phase I: Preliminary study
3.6.2. Phase II: Brand image research
3.7. Limitations of the empirical study
3.7.1. Validity
3.7.1. Reliability
3.7.2. Ethical concerns
4. Preliminary study
4.1. Selection of brands
4.2. Data from interviews
4.2.1. Advertising of sneaker brands
4.2.2. On fashion aspects
4.3. Additional observations
4.4. Chapter summary
5. Brand personification through music
5.1. COLLAGES (session A)
5.1.1. Interpretation procedure
5.1.2. Processing of information of music-genres
5.1.3. LACOSTE’S BRAND COLLAGE
5.1.4. NIKE’S BRAND COLLAGE
5.1.5. VANS’ BRAND COLLAGE
5.1.6. OVERALL IMPRESSION
5.2. ASSOCIATIVE TASK WITH SONGS (session B)
5.2.1. Introduction
5.2.2. Results
5.3. BRAND PERSONALITY SCALE (session B)
5.3.1. LACOSTE
5.3.2. NIKE
5.3.2. VANS
5.3.4. Conclusion
6. Analysis
6.1. Brand knowledge obtained through music
6.1.1. Who uses the brand?
6.1.2. Symbolic attributes of the brand.
6.2. Evaluation of the methodology and triangulation of data
6.2.1. Differences using BPS by itself or combined with qualitative data
6.3. What is missing to use music to talk about BP?
6.4. Conclusion of the analysis
7. Conclusions
7.1. Music as a source of brand knowledge
7.2. Advantages and disadvantages of the methodology
7.3. Thesis statement
8. Final discussion
8.1. Limitations and recommendations
8.1.1. The perspective of listeners of hip-hop in Sweden
8.1.2. The “sneaker brand” and the “mother brand”
8.1.3. Deeper micro-cultural interpretation
8.2. External implications
Research Objectives and Focus
The primary objective of this research is to explore how music can be utilized as a communicative tool to uncover and articulate the personality of a brand, specifically within the context of hip-hop culture and the sneaker market in Sweden.
- Investigating the use of musical genres as cognitive schemas to build a personification metaphor for brands.
- Evaluating how music-based associations reveal demographic and psychographic characteristics of brand users.
- Comparing projective techniques and brand personality scales to gain deeper brand knowledge.
- Identifying the link between specific musical styles and the perceived symbolic benefits of sneaker brands.
Excerpt from the Book
5.1.3. LACOSTE’S BRAND COLLAGE
The first brand to be analyzed is LACOSTE. The first information that can be interpreted if we try to identify a musical genre that could give us information on the personality of this brand is that its personality is not defined by a specific music-genre. Contrarily, it seems that LACOSTE’s musical taste is varied or “multi-genre”.
Schwarz and Fouts (2003) comment that there are persons who doesn’t have a particular preference for a musical style, this is called “eclectic musical preference”. If we take this in account, we can spot some congruent characteristics between an “eclectic listener” and the personality of LACOSTE. For example, we can say that LACOSTE is not “married” to a specific musical genre; it is possible that consumers can’t clearly distinguish which type of music genre fan or artist is associated with the brand.
LACOSTE having an “eclectic taste” tells us that “his or her” use of music is flexible and is a medium to reflect or validate moods. LACOSTE uses music according to the context, “listening particular kinds of music with peers, but other type when is alone” (Schwarz & Fouts, 2003). Particularly, two important associations can be identified: (1) its personality resembles more a celebrity than a musician/music-fan and (2) the strong connection with the “upper-class, sophisticated, trendy and glamorous” personality characteristics of the artists in the clippings.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research topic of Brand Personality and defines the problem, purpose, and research questions concerning the use of music for brand personification.
2. Theoretical Framework: This section covers existing theories on brand personality (BP), measurement methods, and the role of musical genres as cognitive schemas in consumer behavior.
3. Methodology: This chapter details the interpretive research design, including data collection via interviews, projective collages, and associative song tasks.
4. Preliminary study: This chapter presents the findings from initial interviews conducted to identify relevant sneaker brands and current consumer associations within the Swedish hip-hop scene.
5. Brand personification through music: This chapter reports the results of the visual collages and music-based associative tasks, interpreting how brands are perceived through musical personification.
6. Analysis: This chapter discusses the brand knowledge derived from the study, focusing on the demographic and psychographic profiles revealed through musical associations.
7. Conclusions: This section summarizes the study's findings on music as a source of brand knowledge and evaluates the strengths and limitations of the applied methodology.
8. Final discussion: This chapter reflects on the theoretical and practical implications of the study and provides recommendations for future research in the field of audio-branding.
Keywords
brand personality, hip-hop, sneakers, music-genres, cognitive schemas, projective techniques, brand knowledge, brand personification, qualitative research, consumer behavior, cultural schemas, lifestyle, sociographics, branding strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
This thesis explores the use of music as a language and cognitive schema to identify, measure, and understand the personality of a brand, specifically within the sneaker industry.
What are the central themes of the research?
The research focuses on the intersection of brand personality theory, consumer perception, musical preferences as cultural indicators, and projective methodological techniques.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The main goal is to investigate what type of brand knowledge can be extracted when consumers personify a brand by associating it with specific musicians, artists, and musical genres.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The research uses an interpretive paradigm with a mixed-method approach, primarily employing visual collages (projective technique), associative music tasks, and the Aaker (1997) brand personality scale.
What is addressed in the main part of the document?
The main part encompasses the theoretical framework, a detailed methodology, a preliminary study to select brands, and the empirical analysis of three major brands (NIKE, LACOSTE, and VANS) using music-based personification.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include brand personality, hip-hop, sneakers, cognitive schemas, projective techniques, brand knowledge, and brand personification.
Why was the hip-hop culture in Sweden chosen as the context?
The hip-hop culture was selected because it provides a specific population with clear musical preferences and strong, established connections to sneaker consumption, facilitating a focused interpretive study.
How does LACOSTE differ from NIKE and VANS in this study?
Unlike NIKE (associated with hip-hop) and VANS (associated with rock/punk), LACOSTE does not have a single, strong musical genre connection and is instead perceived as an "eclectic" or celebrity-like brand.
What role does music play in the brand-consumer relationship?
Music serves as a "non-formal language" that communicates extramusical information—such as social class, lifestyle, and values—which helps consumers form a coherent personality image of a brand.
- Arbeit zitieren
- José Leyva (Autor:in), 2011, Brand personification through music as brand knowledge, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/179780
