A Case for Customer Based Brand Equity Conceptualization Within Motivational Perspective‪.‬

INTRODUCTION Strategic importance of branding is duly recognized in marketing literature. A strong brand is described as a platform for new products, an entry barrier, bulwark against shifts in consumer behavior (Farquhar, 1990), source of (sustainable) competitive advantage (Aaker, 1991), a precursor of success of future marketing activities (Keller, 1993) a source of future profits (Crimmins, 2000), a key organizational asset, the primary capital (Guzman et al, 2006) and as an instrument of competitive superiority (Kepferer, 2000). Value added by a brand to the product is termed as brand equity (Farquhar, 1990). A strong brand is one which possesses high brand equity (Kepferer, 2000, Aaker, 1996). To this extent, it has been empirically proved that high brand equity could result in increase in consumer preferences, purchase intentions (Cobb- Walgreen et al, 1995), brand loyalty intentions (Johnson et al, 2006) and stock returns (Aaker & Jacobson, 1994). Hence brand equity formation, measurement and management deserves key focus both at theoretical and managerial domains.