Branding may refer to: Livestock branding, the marking of animals to indicate ownership Human branding, as body modification

or punishment Branding (BDSM), bonding of the partners and marking of a submissive Wood branding, permanently marking, by way of heat, wood (also: plastic, cork, leather, etc.) Vehicle title branding, a permanent designation indicating that a vehicle has been "written off" Brand, a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service o Brand management, the application of marketing techniques to a specific product, product line, or brand o Employer branding, the application of brand management to recruitment marketing and internal brand engagement o Nation branding, the application of marketing techniques for the advancement of a country Place branding, the application of marketing techniques for the advancement of country subdivisions o Personal branding, people and their careers marketed as brands o Co-branding, associates a single product or service with more than one brand name o Branding agency, a type of marketing agency which specializes in creating brands o Faith branding, the application of marketing techniques to religious institutions or individuals

Need for Branding in Insurance

Branding is the new key challenge in the financial services industry. Life in the 21st century will be longer with more choice in more fields of activity. The financial consequences of an increased life span are particularly likely to be tough. Inevitably, this will lead to more complexity which in turn necessitates greater clarity and appeal from the service providers. Branding is more relevant in the financial services market which not only faces the problem of securing and retaining customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace but also experiences the need for heightened relevance of the brand proposition in a world where brand has been termed the new religion.

Focus and strategy are essential to the development of brand in any sector but the less tangible world of financial products historically has escaped the branding issues that have governed development and culture in other industries. If there was one industry which least considered branding as an essentiality it would be the insurance industry. It was always felt as an abstract service or a fallback, more like a safety net. But it is more often than not sold through intermediaries who have already done the task of sifting through competitive products to select the most appropriate one. But with liberalisation of the industry, players have to realise the need for branding in a competitive environment. Insurance companies need to strive for greater customer focus regardless of whether the customer is the end user or the intermediary. The global insurance industry itself is witnessing a period of consolidation and companies are thinking about how brand equity can work to their advantage. The European trend for bancassurance that created giants like AXA and Winterthur set a precedent followed in Lloyds TSB's acquisition of Scottish Widows. But in turn, increased competition and customer choice mean greater expectations and the medium of channel delivery cannot be overlooked. With the Internet redefining the way business is done, the brand proposition needs to be convincing in a new dimension. In cyberspace, clear corporate branding is even more vital in the absence of physical presence and issues of trust and reliability are more imperative. In India, the LIC has been successful in creating a strong brand. In rural India, the LIC is especially synonymous with insurance. But in the wake of competition it has to do a considerable brand building exercise at least in urban India. On the other hand the general insurers have a lot of work to do. There is hardly any brand identity and leave alone loyalty. If the general insurers do not realise the importance of branding they would be definitely knocked off their feet by the strong foreign brands. Adequate time, investment and longer-term management of the brand are essential, not only for success but also survival. All brands need to be built around welldifferentiated and credible positioning that springs from the organisation's history. The brand must not only be believed but lived by management and employees. An additional factor is the strong sales orientation that defines the way insurance companies operate. More often than not the industry fails to be marketing-driven. Equally, lack of direct contact with the end user compounds targeting difficulties which leads cyclically back to the question of whether the brand should be focused at the intermediary or customer. Finally the same principles apply whether it is branding a cigarette or an insurance company. Customers want and expect good service. They need to be presented with credible and attractive propositions that deliver value whether it is an everyday or once-a-lifetime option.

References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article. Owen Wright
[Author vitae]
,

and Lorelle Frazer

Available online 21 June 2010.

Abstract
Retail co- branding is an increasingly popular form of growth in a maturing Australian franchising sector. This paper presents an exploratory study of franchised retail co- branding arrangements utilising a case study approach. The existing literature, which has previously focused on product-specific co- branding, is extended. Traditional co- branding, agent theoretic and resource constraint arguments are analysed and found to be inadequate when applied to this new phenomenon. The research reveals that the motivations for introducing co-brands into existing franchises include alignment of a suitable brand with existing retail formats, risk aversion by the franchisor to the use of externally owned brands, reinvigorating the brands, and stimulating sales growth for specific outlets. In addition the research shows that co-brands can be successfully created internally franchisors are willing to sacrifice the culture and concept of the original franchise brand in order to achieve system growth. Keywords: Co- branding ; Franchising; Case study; Retailing Correspondence Address: Doctoral Candidate, Centre for Tourism, Sports and Service Innovation Research, Griffith University Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia. Tel.: +61 7 3735 3557; Fax: +61 7 3735 7126.

Vitae
Owen Wright is a doctoral candidate in the Centre for Tourism, Sports and Service Innovation Research, and an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Marketing at Griffith University in Australia. He has held executive management positions in franchise organisations. Lorelle Frazer is a Professor in the Department of Marketing at Griffith University, Australia and a member of the Centre for Tourism, Sports and Service Innovation Research. She has a PhD in marketing from the University of Southern Queensland and has published widely about franchising.

An analysis of B2B ingredient co-branding relationships

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References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article. Sunil Erevellesa, 1,
3,

, Thomas H. Stevensona,

, Shuba Srinivasanb, 2,

and Nobuyuki Fukawac,

[Author vitae]
a

The Belk College of Business, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, United States

Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, United States

b c

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States

Received 20 February 2006; revised 19 June 2007; accepted 13 July 2007. Available online 21 September 2007.

Abstract
The proliferation of co- branding in consumer markets has been given considerable attention in the literature, yet attention to the practice in business-to-business markets has been limited, despite the growing attention to the role of relationships in the B2B arena. In an examination of co- branding in the industrial sector, this paper discusses the use of ingredient co- branding and uses an econometric modeling approach to offer a rationale for why it occurs. The analysis provides insight into why downstream manufacturers participate in a relationship that strengthens the supplier's position in the market. We find that under the threat to the supplier of entry from a competitor whose costs are unobservable, co- branding relationships will be entered into resulting in a reduced probability of entry. This co- branding arrangement benefits both the incumbent supplier and the downstream manufacturer. The incumbent supplier benefits from the reduced probability of competitor entry, and the downstream manufacturer is rewarded with a lower price. Further, we find that the cost of the co-branded product is lower, due to a mitigation of double marginalization in a vertically-integrated solution. We examine co- branding relationships with and without advertising support and find that co- branding relationships with advertising support tend to be superior. Keywords: Branding ; Ingredient co- branding ; Relationships; Business-to-business

Behavioural responses of juvenile Steller sea lions to hot-iron branding

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References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article. Kristen A. Walkera,
a ,

, Jo-Ann E. Mellishb, c and Daniel M. Wearya

Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA Alaska SeaLife Center, 301 Railway Avenue, PO Box 1329, Seward, AK 99664, USA

Canada
b c

Accepted 16 November 2009. Available online 16 December 2009.

Abstract
Here we present the first data showing the post- branding behavioural responses in a marine mammal. Eleven captive juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were observed for 3 days before and 3 days after hot-iron branding. Four of six monitored behaviours changed significantly after branding. The proportion of time sea lions spent in locomotion decreased from 0.07 before branding to 0.03 during the first 24 h following branding. Wound-directed behaviour (scratching, biting and head rubbing the branded area) increased from 0.0 before branding to 0.010.02 during the first 48 h after branding and returned to baseline thereafter. Time in the pool declined from 0.17 before branding to 0.05 during the first 24 h after branding and approached baseline by the second 24-h period. The time spent with pressure on the branded side showed little change from the 0.08 before branding to 0.10 during the first 24 h after branding; however, this behaviour decreased to 0.02 and 0.01 on following two days. These results show that Steller sea lion behaviour changes for up to 72 h after hot-iron branding. Changes in these behaviours may be useful in assessing alternative effective analgesic protocols for this procedure. Keywords: Behaviour; Burn wounds; Eumetopias

A literature review and future agenda for B2B branding: Challenges of branding in a B2B context Sheena Leek
[Author vitae]
a , a,

and George Christodoulides1, a,

Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom Received 4 November 2010; revised 3 March 2011; accepted 19 May 2011.

Available online 25 June 2011.

Abstract
The existing body of research knowledge on brand management has been predominantly derived from business-to-consumer markets, particularly fast moving consumer goods and has only recently started to expand in other contexts. Branding in business-to-business markets has received comparatively little attention in the academic literature due to a belief that industrial buyers are unaffected by the emotional values corresponding to brands. This paper provides a critical discussion of the fragmented literature on business-to-business branding which is organized in five themes: B2B branding benefits; the role of B2B brands in the decision making process; B2B brand architecture; B2B brands as communication enablers and relationship builders; and industrial brand equity. Drawing on the gaps and contradictions in the literature the paper concludes by proposing an agenda for future research.

Research highlights
Academic inquiry on the subject of B2B branding is limited, fragmented and inconclusive. Five broad areas have been highlighted as requiring further systematic and rigorous research. Benefits and role of B2B brands; brand architecture; B2B brands as relationship builders; and industrial brand equity. Future research directions are identified to further our understanding of how branding can be applied in a B2B context.

Case Study: Brand Equity in the Insurance Industry

The findings from our comprehensive brand equity study of the insurance industry has implications for many industries. Here is what we found: While there are over 100 insurance brands whose names people have heard of, few achieve widespread top-of-mind awareness (first recall). The insurance industry is highly fragmented with a low dominance of usage and preference by a few brands. Very few companies are aggressively claiming relevant differentiating benefits in consumer communication. The few that are, are rapidly gaining market share (witness GEICO which is claiming price/value leadership in auto insurance with substantial advertising support). Prices/rates are cited as one of the top differentiating benefits, suggesting that the category is commodity-like for many consumers. While behavioral loyalty is high, attitudinal loyalty is much lower, indicating a consumer's propensity to switch companies when the switching becomes easier (something the Internet might facilitate). Emotional connection to insurance brands is very low. Less than one in five consumers say that their insurance brand has never disappointed them. (The top brand on this measure disappointed two thirds of its customers at some time. All brands below the top

eight on this measure disappointed over 90% of their customers.) Our analysis of the most powerful differentiating benefits indicate that many of them lie with the way in which insurance agents/representatives and the claims adjusters interact with customers. Our data would indicate that the industry is ripe for consolidation or strong niche marketing. Three opportunity areas emerged for insurance companies: 1.Reinventing the process by which they interact with their consumers. 2.Claiming a highly relevant, unique point of difference (focusing on a product category, a consumer benefit or both). 3.Increasing emotional connection with their consumers. The study provides the following lessons that are applicable to other industries: Strong, recognizable brand names and logos are important, but the brands behind those trademarks must stand for something unique and important in consumer's eyes. What does your brand stand for? When price becomes the major point of difference in an industry, consolidation will occur. The companies that are most likely to succeed in this environment (other than the acquirers) are those that aggressively take ownership of relevant points of difference and redesign themselves to consistently deliver against those points of difference. The importance of the customer points of contact to strong brands can not be underestimated. Aligning these with your brand's promise is critical. This may require redesign of your hiring, training, performance management, recognition and rewards and other HR practices. It may also require a redesign of your customer service processes. Companies that are market driven, truly caring about their consumers and constantly changing their products and services to meet changing consumer needs, will succeed at the expense of companies that are purely sales driven.