Consumer-based brand equity: benchmarking the perceived performance of brands

Abstract

Objective: Competitive performance between brands can be gauged by perceptual consumer indicators. The lack of a reference regarding this performance can hinder the establishment of real goals by marketing managers. This study aimed to compare product and service brand performance measured by consumer-based brand equity, thus revealing patterns for benchmarking. Specifically, the research detected the most differentiating metrics, validating a general indicator, showing the performance patterns, and comparing international with national brands.

Method: In a cross-sectional study, 1,710 consumers evaluated six metrics of a consumer-based brand equity scale (awareness, associated image, perceived quality, loyalty, willingness to pay a premium price, and exclusivity) revalidated using confirmatory factor analysis. The study used 61 brands of 11 products and services to measure performance with univariate and multivariate analyses of variance.

Results: The results for the consumers show that: (1) brands varied more strongly in the awareness and perceived quality metrics, (2) few brands exceed one standard deviation above the category’s average performance, (3) some categories do not have brands that exceed one standard deviation above the category’s average performance, and (4) international brands are generally perceived as having greater value than national brands.

Theoretical/methodological contributions: The research gauges brand performance in the absence of accounting and market indicators using a research instrument.

Relevance/Originality: The article offers the factorial revalidation of a consumer-based brand equity scale and a benchmark of perceived brand performance using that scale.

Implications for management: The research helps in setting goals in marketing and their monitoring.