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Strengthening internal brand equity with brand ambassador programs: development and testing of a success factor model

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  • Holger J. Schmidt

    (Koblenz University of Applied Sciences)

  • Carsten Baumgarth

    (HWR Berlin – School of Economics and Law)

Abstract

Particular in service and b-to-b-sectors, employees’ brand commitment is a prerequisite for building a strong brand. While many areas of interest within the field of internal branding have been tested by empirical studies, knowledge of internally oriented brand ambassador programs (BAPs) is predominately anecdotal. The aim of this article is to identify BAPs’ success factors by first defining the corresponding term, followed by a BAP framework based on the literature, using 25 success factors in six categories. A longitudinal case study from the service industry tested the practical application of the framework, while the results of the case study were used to adapt the model. The findings show that a BAP is not an isolated instrument of internal brand management, but that its impact depends on important background factors such as brand orientation, brand management and C-level support. Overall, the updated BAP success factor model contains 31 factors. The research supports the planning and implementation of BAPs, as well as the monitoring of ongoing and the reflection of completed BAPs.

Suggested Citation

  • Holger J. Schmidt & Carsten Baumgarth, 2018. "Strengthening internal brand equity with brand ambassador programs: development and testing of a success factor model," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 250-265, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jobman:v:25:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1057_s41262-018-0101-9
    DOI: 10.1057/s41262-018-0101-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Andreas Hesse & Holger J. Schmidt & Carsten Baumgarth, 2021. "How a Corporate Influencer Co-creates Brand Meaning: The Case of Pawel Dillinger from Deutsche Telekom," Corporate Reputation Review, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(4), pages 191-204, November.
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    4. Saavedra Torres, Jose L. & Bhattarai, Ashok & Rawal, Monika & Upadhyaya Subedi, Bhaskar, 2023. "The Role of Perceived Quality and Customer Self-Incongruence on Customer-Brand Disidentification," Cuadernos de Gestión, Universidad del País Vasco - Instituto de Economía Aplicada a la Empresa (IEAE).
    5. Barbara Del Bosco & Alice Mazzucchelli & Roberto Chierici, 2023. "Firm policies and employees’ participation in conversation about their employer on social media," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2023(3), pages 301-322, September.
    6. Galina Biedenbach & Thomas Biedenbach & Peter Hultén & Veronika Tarnovskaya, 2022. "Organizational resilience and internal branding: investigating the effects triggered by self-service technology," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(4), pages 420-433, July.
    7. Boukis, Achilleas & Punjaisri, Khanyapuss & Balmer, John M.T. & Kaminakis, Kostas & Papastathopoulos, Avraam, 2021. "Unveiling front-line employees’ brand construal types during corporate brand promise delivery: A multi-study analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 673-685.
    8. Florian Lückenbach & Holger J. Schmidt & Jörg Henseler, 2023. "Building brand meaning in social entrepreneurship organizations: the social impact brand model," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 30(3), pages 207-226, May.
    9. Marc Dressler & Ivan Paunovic, 2021. "The Value of Consistency: Portfolio Labeling Strategies and Impact on Winery Brand Equity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, January.
    10. Shaun M. Powell, 2018. "Journal of Brand Management: year end review 2018," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(6), pages 494-499, November.
    11. Branka Dropulic & Zoran Krupka & Goran Vlasic, 2022. "Brand Equity In A Digital Age: Systematic Literature Review," Economic Thought and Practice, Department of Economics and Business, University of Dubrovnik, vol. 31(1), pages 277-302, june.

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