The Effect of Deceptive Marketing Communication on the Brand Equity of Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon

Girard

Başfırıncı

2020

IJEM

PurposeIn response to global competitive challenges, universities recently started developing better strategies for branding. Branding has been used as a differentiation strategy for higher education institutions. As the number of universities (public and private) has increased, so has the competition for students, the universities in Turkey have faced similar challenges. The main objective of this study is to investigate, from the students' perspective, the role of interactions of brand equity dimensions in creating a strong university brand.Design/methodology/approachCompiling from the literature, the study used a survey instrument to collect data at a comprehensive public university in Turkey. To assure representation of students across the campus, the sample included students at freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior and graduate levels from all major colleges.FindingsBased on 1,300 usable surveys from students across all colleges of a major state university, the PLS-SEM model revealed significant relationships among the brand equity dimensions of brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association, learning environment, emotional environment, brand trust, brand loyalty and university reputation. These brand dimensions collectively and/or individually influence the students' university learning experiences that may result in creating strong university brand equity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted at a government-owned university in Turkey capturing only students' perceptions. Future research could benefit from perceptions of other stakeholders like faculty, staff, alumni, and parents and testing the relationships for different types of universities. This study discusses the implications for developing university branding strategies.Originality/valueThe study empirically tests the validity and effects of the university brand equity dimensions with Turkish university students using structural equation modeling (SEM). It confirms that the measures of brand equity dimensions are also applicable in a different country.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Branding In Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the relationship between brand equity dimensions and university brand equity

Girard

Başfırıncı

2020

IJEM

“…In this regard, Pharr (2019) encourages colleges and universities to develop valuable and engaging authentic brand content. However, Joyvice et al (2019) suggest avoiding deceptive marketing communications. The direct positive significant relationship between perceived quality and brand trust indicates the importance of perceived quality in building brand trust.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An empirical study of the dynamic relationships between the core and supporting brand equity dimensions in higher education

Girard¹,

2020

JARHE

PurposeThis study aims to use a holistic approach to empirically examine the direct and indirect relationships of both core and supporting consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) dimensions from students’ perspectives and the underlying impact they have on building a robust university brand equity. It also tests whether student perceptions of the importance of the brand equity constructs significantly differ based on demographics.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts the core and supporting university brand equity dimensions that have been tested for reliability and validity in prior research. Data were collected at a major university in the USA. The study used judgment sampling to carefully select a targeted sample of various colleges and class levels. A total of 439 useable surveys were collected.FindingsThe results of partial least squares–structural equation modeling reveal significant relationships between both core and supporting brand equity dimensions. The core brand equity dimensions include brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association, brand trust, learning environment, emotional environment, university reputation and brand loyalty. The supporting brand equity dimensions include library services, dining services, residence hall and physical facilities. Significant direct and/or indirect relationships were found between the core and supporting CBBE dimensions. The demographic variables of gender, semester standing and living arrangement also influence the importance of some of the core and supporting dimensions.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that females, freshman and students living on-campus require specific attention in higher education. For a better representation and understanding of the university student population, we recommend that future studies use probability sampling and multiple universities for cross-validation.Originality/valueUsing the brand ecosystem framework, this is the first comprehensive study testing the relationships between both core and supporting CBBE dimensions in higher education. The study offers valuable insights to university stakeholders for building a strong university brand. It also confirms that the measures of the CBBE brand equity dimensions are valid and are applicable to other higher education institutions.

“…In addition, Brand awareness is an important factor for creating a strong university brand and brand equity as it directly and/or indirectly influences the other brand equity dimensions, which is consistent with the brand equity conceptualization (Aaker, 1991, 1996, Keller, 1993, 2013. While higher education institutions could utilize social media to increase awareness and build university brand (i.e., Belanger et al, 2014;Pringle and Fritz, 2019), they should avoid any deceptive communications, as it erodes the brand equity of these institutions in the long run (Joyvice et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

University Branding and Measuring Brand Equity: Conceptual Framework and Empirical Studies

The Journal of International Scientific Researches

2020

In highly competitive marketplace, branding and brand management have become increasingly important as organizations seek competitive advantage. As colleges and universities have faced an increased competition, university administrators have realized that relying only on external marketing and branding efforts are not sufficient strategies for building strong university brands and brand equity. Based on review of literature, this paper presents a summary of a brand ecosystem as conceptual and the results of empirical studies that utilize consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) and brand ecosystem framework to understand university branding and measuring university brand equity. The results of the empirical studies indicate that universities are complex systems of sub-brands, thus, managing these subsystems require consideration of all relevant brand equity dimensions as a holistic way in a brand ecosystem framework showing their direct and indirect relationships in creating a strong university brand and brand equity. These findings offer important insights that could have strategic implications for developing successful university branding strategies.