The Consumer-Brand Relationship Map - A measurement technique that captures consumer-brand relationships in a consumer/user-friendly way

Abstract

The Consumer-Brand Relationship Map, or in short CBRM is a measurement technique that captures Consumer-Brand Relationships in a consumer/user-friendly way. During present research, the new method is compared to the existing Likert scale method. Empirical results show, that the CBRM outperforms the well-know Likert scale method in three ways: The CBRM method is perceived more positively based on involvement, ease of use and satisfaction. The method shows higher attachment levels towards the different recalled brands. Participants of the CBRM method elect more brands. Moreover, the CBRM technique goes more in-depth than the Likert scale method as it adds distance scores and a visual representation of the consumer’s mind. Although the CBRM method goes more in-depth than existing methods, the new method is easy to administer, and therefore takes the remain barriers away for marketing practitioners in the meaning of labor intensity and specialized expertise. The CBRM method provides marketing practitioners the opportunity to reach their ultimate goal; namely, to better understand the multi-faceted interactions that consumers have with brands in the same category. Insights into consumer-brand relationships helps marketing practitioners to understand and manage the positioning of a particular brand, and in this way create a sustainable competitive advantage.