| Several researchers (Park, Jaworski, and Macinnis, 1986; Keller, 1993) have advocated a brand management strategy based on identifying the extent to which consumers associate functional, symbolic, and experiential (FSE) benefits with specific brands. However, little empirical work has been undertaken to determine the relevance of each of these benefits to potential consumers.; This research examined how perceptions of functional, symbolic, and experiential benefits vary across individuals by developing an instrument to empirically test whether brands are differentiated by consumers on the basis of these benefits. A series of items drawn from the literature (Keller, 1993; Richins, 1994) were tested using factor analysis to detect if the FSE constructs emerged as salient to consumers. In addition to developing a method for measuring the FSE constructs, additional Research Questions included analyzing the impact of brand quality on consumers' evaluations, and testing for differences between product categories.; Using Principal Components Analysis, the original 24-item instrument was reduced to 11 items. The three-factor solution resulted in a psychometrically sound instrument explaining over 50 percent of the variance in the primary sample. The three factors confirmed the functional, symbolic, and experiential benefits suggested by the literature.; This dissertation furthers the understanding of how consumers process product offerings. Additionally, implications for marketing strategy include the ability to measure the effectiveness of advertising and other promotional efforts used to shift brand positioning over time. |
