Brand personification through music as brand knowledge

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

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.