Regent’s College Professor wins Best Track Paper at the Academy
of Marketing Conference 2009
Professor Jonathan Liu (Regent’s College), Jonathan Wilson
(Greenwich University) and Ying Fan (Brunel University) was awarded
the best track paper by the Academy of Marketing in Leeds for their
paper entitled; “Surrogate Brands – The pull to adopt an ‘other’
nation; via sports merchandise”.
Collaberative Effort
Jonathan Wilson, a former
member of staff from Regent’s College Business and Management
Faculty, and now with Greenwich University indicated that they
selected the Academy of Marketing and the sports marketing track to
submit the paper; with the opinion that there was a natural synergy
in what they were trying to achieve through their conceptual
paper.
Developed out of our experiences and observations of what is
happening in the market place; first and foremost they wanted a
platform to discuss their ideas and encourage debate. As such, the
conference did not disappoint - in that it was both enjoyable and
invaluable; in instigating interesting discussions and facilitating
worthwhile feedback.
Sports Branding at Fever Pitch
The paper observes that there are a growing number of consumers,
who are choosing to wear sporting merchandise from an ‘other’
nation – with whom they have no geographic or ethnic affiliation.
In addition, nation sports branding appears to have scaled pandemic
heights; by reaching fever pitch, when actively carrying its
message across borders.
Consumer preferences are being driven past simple behavioural
characteristics; towards more transient psychographic and emotional
constructs. In short, nation branded sporting uniform is no longer
viewed as demanding restrictive monogamous loyalty.
Ownership of a uniform largely suggests exclusivity and
encouraged competition. However, manufactures, national teams,
athletes and sponsors are entering symbiotic brand relationships -
where they are actively seeking publics, open to multiple adopted
nationalities.
This phenomenon draws consumers towards embracing temporal
national identities, which are converted into an over-arching
cross-border identity; ultimately gifting sports brands more
significance. The paper explores consumers’ entry into
relationships with another nation, in preference to their own - in
manner that has been likened to a form of surrogacy; by the
authors.
Stimulating Further Thinking
Dr Ying Fan of Brunel University commented that the aim was to
stimulate further thinking in a field; which transcends national
and cultural boundaries - in the interests of developing new
insight, and to provide a platform for marketers to develop more
effective communications. In the face of increased consumer
migrancy, the relationship between ethnicity and nationality,
appear to be driving exponential diversity in sports brand
consumption.
These factors are in turn redefining brand attributes, benefits
and attitudes in the eyes of consumers. Therefore if brand
architects are unable to gain true insight into these phenomena;
they risk sub-optimising meaningful brand expression and ultimately
future gains. In addition there is a risk that existing
segmentation criteria may begin to lose their depth of
classification; in order to preserve consumer homogeneity.
Being awarded the ‘Best Paper’ from the chosen track is very
encouraging and is a delightful way to start collaborations between
three academics from three different institutions.