BRAND EQUATY: CONCEPTS, APPROACHES AND STUDIES IN BRAZIL

Abstract

Brand equity is an important construct to be studied because it is associated to key benefits for both customers and companies, as it is increasingly acknowledged that brands are resources able to improve the stockholder value. This study seeks to review the studies related to brand equity performed in Brazil. As such, it first reviews existing concepts and constructs. Then it points out some measuring models, and finally performs a survey of the papers published on this theme in the main Brazilian administration publications. The survey of the studies has shown that, in the last few years (2007 and specially 2006), there has been an increase of these researches, but there is still a long way for these studies in Brazil. Many studies are of theoretical-conceptual nature, and there is room for more empirical research advance. It is believed that there is room for research that relates brand performance to company performance, be it profitability or stockholder value. There is also a shortage of studies which take in consideration both the customers' and the companies' perspective. Among the contributions this research has tried to make, one can highlight, besides the concepts, models and studies surveyed, the recommendation of future research in Brazil.