Technology-Branding: Brand Politics for Technological Products in Business-to-Business Relations

This PhD thesis deals with the strategies concerning brand politics of companies producing capital goods. It will attempt to show the influence that a strong capital equipment brand can have on the individual members of the buying centers and on each phase of the buying process. It will also explain the advantages and essential starting points of brand politics for capital goods. The main aim of this dissertation is to put forward a model of a planning process for brand politics. Starting from decisions of general principle, brand politics for capital goods then needs a brand strategy and an integrated brand concept in order to achieve a strong brand with wide appeal. In this model, factors relating to drawing attention that are involved when a brand is created are taken into consideration as well as legal restrictions. Finally, brand management and brand controlling are also required to contribute to the model in order for the brand image to be embedded long term in the heads of the customers. By using this model it is possible to make a systematic analysis of capital equipment brands, taking into consideration business management as well as attention-getting and legal aspects.