105510 Thesis Electronic
Master of Science in Brand and Communications Management Cand. Merc. / MSc. EBA FOOTBALL PLAYERS AS BRAND AMBASSADORS: THEIR INFLUENCE ON CONSUMERS IN RELATION TO KIT SUPPLIERS’ BRAND IMAGE Focus on the Western European men’s football industry in the third millennium Master’s Thesis Author: Matteo Zardini Supervisor: Troels Troelsen Hand- in date: 10.05.2016 Number of characters: 174,990 Number of pages: 80 Copenhagen Business School 2016 Abstract Nowadays, the Western European men’s football industry is in constant evolution. It embraces increasingly heterogeneous perspectives and interests, both inside and outside the green field, going beyond the ninety minutes. In football sportswear market, branding is the principal source of competitive advantage for companies. Thus, top level football endorsers, employed as marketing and branding vehicles, can lead to positive brand image and improve brand equity. Indeed, through endorser’s image and personality, consumers- fans tighten up an emotional tie and associations in their mind with the endorsed brands, as potential point of differentiation and source of competitive advantage for the companies. Following a branding perspective, this thesis explores and describes three main research questions, by offering underlying up- to- date managerial implications and insights. Speaking of which, sportswear brands’ decisions behind football endorser’s selection and implementation as well as narrowed focuses on sponsorship and football boots launch are developed, by comparing the current situation with the ‘90s and emerged contrasts in terms of image in- and out- pitch. Having assumed “interpretivism” as research philosophy, this research holds “subjectivism” as ontology. Consistently, research project purpose is principally exploratory and then, descriptive.
[Show full text]