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Topic: Student Questions

Msc Dissertation - Brand Loyalty… Help Needed!

Posted by Lea on 3/4/2014 at 9:19 AM ET 250 Points
Hi everyone!

I'm currently trying to write up my first draft dissertation proposal and the more articles I read the harder it is to decide on a topic. I want something that is valuable to the industry and that will aid in finding employment once I graduate. My background is Psychology so marketing is still very new for me.

Looking through job adverts, online/ social media marketing are a boom… it's an interesting area but it's been done to death and I feel it's just a current means to an end, today its social media, next year it'll be something else.

I was therefore thinking about something along the lines of Branding. Maybe: Brand loyalty / love and what makes customers return.

But how can I go about it in a creative way? With my background in Psychology I could focus on the emotional aspect… what makes brands memorable… what makes them stand out/ shock/ connect emotionally with consumers… and keep them coming back for more. Also recent trends such as Brands using technology as a social enabler (such as the coca cola share happiness campaign or Burberry kisses)

But how could this translate into a working thesis topic and research questions?

I'd appreciate any feedback on how best to merge what i've mentioned or any alternative suggestions.

Thanks!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 3/4/2014 at 1:59 PM Accepted
    Do you have a clear idea of where in the world (or for which company) you want to work? If so, start by focusing on this region/business. That'll help build connections for you after you graduate and inform you deeply about the niche's needs.
  • Posted by saul.dobney on 3/4/2014 at 2:07 PM Accepted
    A current trend is neuromarketing. Ideas like how the emotions drive decisions and how can/should marketing work with this (eg Nudging). We did a little bit of work a while ago based around the idea of people buying moods via purchases - a mood being a bundle of sensory and emotional feelings. For instance when buying mineral water, are you actually buying water on function - taste, purity, claimed health properties - or are you buying a mood (freshness, vitalisation, cleanliness, inner peace)? It's a developing field so I'm sure you can find something to spark your interest.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 3/4/2014 at 4:21 PM Accepted
    Pick a specific brand and geography. Then formulate your hypothesis, test it, and report results.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 3/4/2014 at 8:00 PM Accepted
    Psychology? Read the works of Robert B. Cialdini, the Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University. His 2007 book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" (ISBN 0-688-12816-5) ought to be mandatory reading for every marketing and psychology student on earth.
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