Effect of Readymade Garment Brands on Consumer Buying

TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF READYMADEGARMENT BRANDS ON CONSUMER
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INTRODUCTION
Brands are like human beings. They are born, fed and nurtured, made strong and responsible so
that they can be faithful friends of the people (customers), form mutually beneficial and
satisfying relationships with them and become their companions for life. Such brands, make their
parents (organization or corporate) proud of them. The best brands are the ones who help in
forming and sustaining strong long term “parent-brand-people” relationships. These brands form
the potential for present growth and future expansion. They help the organizations conquer peaks
at the time of booms and stay afloat and swim at times of depression.”
We come across a number of brands in our daily lives. Our morning starts with using a
toothpaste (Colgate, Pepsodent or Close-up), using a bathing soap (Lux, Fairglow or Cinthol)
and shampoo (Clinic All Clear or Vatika), wearing clothes ( Allen Solly, Levi’s or Raymonds),
breakfast bread (Britannia or Modern) and butter (Amul) or jam (Kissan), lunch and dinner
(Nature Fresh or Pillsbury flour and Safal vegetables), morning and evening tea and coffee
(Tetley, Nescafe or Bru), going out in a car (Hyundai Santro, Honda Accord or Mercedes Benz).
Talking on the cell phone (Motorola, Nokia, Siemens or Samsung), watching television in the
evening (LG, Sony or Philips) or listening to music (Philips or Apple) etc. But how often do we
think of what all a company does to put a positive imprint (fight for a shelf space) in the mind of
the customer?
Today nearly all the companies are focusing more and more on building strong brands. The
concept of brand equity and its management has come to the core like never before.
This project is thus a timely stuffy of the importance of brands, what it takes to build them, what
benefits do they give to different stakeholders (organization, distributors and customers), how
can they be leveraged, what is the impact of modern technology on branding, branding on the
web, branding in mergers and acquisitions etc. examples have been given and cases discussed at
every suitable point to bring out an application oriented understanding of “building and
managing brands. A logo is an easily recognizable, reproducible design element, often including
a name, symbol, specified colors or trademark. It is a quick, visual representation of a brand’s
message and position. A well designed logo should evoke some memory or emotion from the

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viewer depending upon their relationship with the brand. A logo is a tool to help communicate a
brand and represent a brand.
When combined, a well-planned logo and a brand strategy help you effectively and efficiently
reach your audience, communicate your message, your value, and benefits, and visually attract
more attention.

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Objectives
Importance of understanding branding and its impact on modern day markets is vital to the
health and growth of most industries. The aim of this report is to put into perspective the
functional values of branding as well as, its role in the consumer purchase decision-making
process.
 Understanding the concepts of branding and consumer behavior.
 To study the effect of brands on consumer buying behavior in relation to Readymade
garments.
 To analyze the branding strategies adopted by some of the companies in the readymade
garments to woo the consumers into buying their products.

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Understanding Branding
BRAND
The word “Brand” owes its origin to the Norwegian word “brand” which means to burn. Farmers
used to put some identification mark on the body of the livestock to distinguish their possession.
Products are what companies make, but customers buy brands. Therefore marketers resorted to
branding in order to distinguish their offerings from similar products and services provided by
their competitors. Additionally, it carries an inherent assurance to the customers that the quality
of a purchase will be similar to earlier purchases of the same brand.
A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of one seller or a group of
sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.
BRANDING
Branding is a process, a tool, a strategy and an orientation.
 Branding is the process by which a marketer tries to build long term relationship with the
customers by learning their needs and wants so that the offering (brand) could satisfy
their mutual aspirations.
 Branding can be used as a differentiation strategy when the product cannot be easily
distinguished in terms of tangible features (which invariably happens in case of many
services, durables etc.) or in products which are perceived as a commodity (e.g. cement,
fertilizers, salt, potato chips etc.).
 Brand building is a conscious customer satisfaction orientation process. The brand owner
tries to retain customers to its hold over their competitors by a mix of hardware, software
because when a customer feels satisfied he / she develop a kind of loyalty for the same.

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Kotler (1999) expands on the concept of identity by stating that a brand is capable of conveying
up to six different levels of meaning to a targeted audience. This is known as the “Six
Dimensions of The Brand”

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Attributes A brand will communicate specific attributes,
such as prestige
Values A brand strengthens a product’s attributes by
communicating a set of benefits that makes it
more attractive
Benefits A brand represents a company’s core values
and belief system
Culture A brand is representative or target a target
audiences socio cultural characteristics
Personality A Brand can project behavioral personality
patterns of
targeted consumers
User The brand, in some cases, can emulate the end
user
From the consumers’ perspective, brand names are as fundamental as the product itself in the
sense that they simplify the purchasing process, guarantee quality and at times, form as a basis of
self-expression. Hence, should a company market a brand name as nothing more than
“Just a name”; it would be missing the entire purpose of product branding. The challenge lies in
developing a deep set of meanings for the brand. Once a target market segment can visualize all
six dimensions of the brand, it will have established a strong rapport within the consumers’
purchase decision-making process.

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History of Branding
Branding and labeling have a very ancient history. Branding probably began with the practice of
branding livestock in order to deter theft. Images of branding oxen and cattle have been found in
ancient Egyptian tombs, dating to around 2,700 BCE. Over time, purchasers realized that the
brand provided information about origin as well as ownership, and could be used as a guide to
quality. Branding was adapted for use on other types of goods such as pottery and ceramics.
Some form of branding or proto-branding emerged spontaneously and independently throughout
Africa, Asia and Europe at different times, depending on local conditions. Seals, which acted as
quasi-brands, have been found on early Chinese products of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE);
large numbers of seals from the Harappa civilization of the Indus Valley (3300–1300 BCE)
where the local community depended heavily on trade; cylinder seals were introduced in Ur,
Mesopotamia in around 3,000 BCE and facilitated the labelling of goods and property; and the
use of maker's marks on pottery was commonplace in both ancient Greece and Rome Identity
marks, such as stamps on ceramics, were also used in ancient Egypt.
Diana Twede has argued that the "consumer packaging functions of protection, utility and
communication have been necessary whenever packages were the object of transactions" . She
has shown that amphora’s used in Mediterranean trade between 1500 and 500 BCE exhibited a
wide variety of shapes and markings, which consumers used to glean information about the type
of goods and the quality. Systematic use of stamped labels dates from around the fourth century

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BCE. In a largely pre-literate society, the shape of the amphora and its pictorial markings
conveyed information about the contents, region of origin and even the identity of the producer
which were understood to convey information about product quality. David Wengrow has argued
that branding became necessary following the urban revolution in ancient Mesopotamia in the
4th century BCE, when large-scale economies started mass-producing commodities such as
alcoholic drinks, cosmetics and textiles. These ancient societies imposed strict forms of quality
control over commodities, and also needed to convey value to the consumer through branding.
Producers began by attaching simple stone seals to products which, over time, were transformed
into clay seals bearing impressed images, often associated with the producer's personal identity
thus giving the product a personality. Not all historians agree that these markings are comparable
with modern brands or labels, with some suggesting that the early pictorial brands or simple
thumbprints used in pottery should be termed proto-brands while other historians argue that the
presence of these simple markings does not imply that mature brand management practices were
at play.
Numerous scholarly studies have found evidence of branding, packaging and labelling in
antiquity. Archaeological evidence of potters' stamps has been found across the breadth of the
Roman Empire and in ancient Greece. Stamps were used on bricks, pottery, storage containers as
well as fine ceramics. Pottery marking was commonplace in ancient Greece by the 6th century
BCE. A vase created in around 490 BCE bears the inscription “Sophilos painted me” indicating
that the object was both fabricated and painted by a single potter. Branding may have been
necessary to support the extensive trade in such pots. For example, 3rd century Gaulish pots,
bearing the names of well-known potters and the place of manufacture such as Attianus of
Lezoux, Tetturo of Lezoux and Cinnamus of Vichy, have been found as far away as Essex and
Hadrian's Wall in England. English potters based at Colchester and Chic ester were using stamps
on their ceramic wares by the 1st century CE. The use of hallmarks, a type of brand, on precious
metals dates to around the 4th century CE. A series of five marks has been found
on Byzantine silver dating from this period.
Some of the earliest use of maker's marks, dating to about 1300 BCE, have been found in India.
The oldest generic brand, in continuous use in India since the Vedic period (ca. 1100 BCE to 500

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BCE), is the herbal paste known as Chyawanprash, consumed for its purported health benefits
and attributed to a revered rishi (or seer) named Chyawan. One well-documented early, example
of a highly developed brand is that of the White Rabbit brand of sewing needles, from China's
Song Dynasty period (960- 1127 CE). A copper printing plate used to print posters contained
message, which roughly translates as: “Jinan Liu’s Fine Needle Shop: We buy high quality steel
rods and make fine quality needles, to be ready for use at home in no time. The plate also
includes a trademark in the form of a 'White Rabbit" which signified good luck and was
particularly relevant to women, who were the primary purchasers. Details in the image show a
white rabbit crushing herbs, and included advice to shoppers to look for the stone white rabbit in
front of the maker's shop.
In ancient Rome, a commercial brand or inscription applied to objects offered for sale, was
known as a titulus pictus. The inscription typically specified information such as place of origin,
destination, type of product and occasionally quality claims or the name of the manufacturer.
Roman marks or inscriptions were applied to a very wide variety of goods including, pots,
ceramics, amphorae (storage/ shipping containers) and on factory-produced oil
lamps. Carbonized loaves of bread, found at Herculaneum, indicate that some bakers stamped
their bread with the producer's name. Roman glassmakers branded their works,
with Ennion being the most prominent.
The use of identity marks on products declined following the fall of the Roman Empire.
However, in the Middle Ages with the rise of the merchant's guilds, the use of marks resurfaced
and was typically associated with specific types of goods. By the 13th century, the use of maker's
marks was evident on a broad range of goods. In 1266, makers' marks on bread became
compulsory. The Italians used brands in the form of watermarks on paper in the 13th
century. Blind Stamps, hallmarks, and silver-makers' marks, all types of brand, became widely
used across Europe during the this period. Hallmarks, although known from the 4th-century,
especially in Byzantium, only fell into general use during the Medieval period. Hallmarks for
silver and gold were introduced in Britain in 1300.

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Some brands, still in existence, date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries' period of mass
production. Bass & Company, the British brewery founded in 1777, was a pioneer in
international brand marketing. Many years before 1855 Bass applied a red triangle to casks of its
Pale Ale. In 1876 their red-triangle brand became the first registered trademark issued by the
British government. Tate & Lyle of Lyle's Golden Syrup is recognized by Guinness World
Records as Britain's, and the worlds, oldest branding and packaging, with its green-and-gold
packaging having remained almost unchanged since 1885. Twining’s Tea has used the same logo
— capitalized font beneath a lion crest — since 1787, making it the world's oldest in continuous
use.
The widespread use of modern brands is associated with 19th century mass-marketing
originating with the advent of packaged goods Industrialization moved the production of many

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household items, such as soap, from local communities to centralized factories. When shipping
their items, the factories would literally brand their logo or company insignia on the barrels used,
effectively using a corporate trademark as a quasi-brand.
Factories established during the Industrial Revolution introduced mass-produced goods and
needed to sell their products to a wider market - to customers previously familiar only with
locally produced goods. It quickly became apparent that a generic package of soap had difficulty
competing with familiar, local products. Packaged-goods manufacturers needed to convince the
market that the public could place just as much trust in the non-local product. Gradually,
manufacturers began using personal identifiers to differentiate their goods from generic products
on the market. Marketers soon realized that brands to which personalities were attached outsold
rival brands. By the 1880s, large manufacturers had learned to imbue their
brands' identity with personality traits such as youthfulness, fun, sex appeal, luxury or the 'cool'
factor. This began the modern practice now known as branding, where the consumers buy the
brand instead of the product and rely on the brand name instead of the retailer.
The process of giving a brand "human" characteristics was, at least in part, a response to
consumer concerns about mass produced goods. The Quaker Oats Company began using the
image of the Quaker man in place of a trademark from the late 1870s, with great success. Pears'
soap, Campbell's soup, Coca-Cola, Juicy Fruit chewing gum and Aunt Jemima pancake mix
were also among the first products to be "branded" in an effort to increase the consumer's
familiarity with the product's merits. Other brands which date from that era, such as Uncle
Ben's rice and Kellogg's breakfast cereal, furnish illustrations of the trend.

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By the early 1900s, trade press, advertising agencies and advertising experts began producing
books and pamphlets exhorting manufacturers to bypass retailers and advertise direct to
consumers with strongly branded messages. Around 1900, advertising guru, James Walter
Thompson, published a house advertisement explaining trademark advertising. This was an early
commercial explanation of what is now recognized as modern branding and the beginnings of
brand management. This trend continued to the 1980s, and is now quantified in concepts such
as brand value and brand equity. Naomi Klein has described this development as "brand equity
mania". In 1988, for example, Philip Morris purchased Kraft for six times what the company was
worth on paper. Business analysts have reported that what they really purchased was its brand
name.
With the rise of mass media in the early 20th century, companies soon adopted techniques that
would allow their messages to stand out; slogans, mascots, and jingles began to appear
on radio in the 1920s and early television in the 1930s. Many of the earliest radio drama series
were sponsored by soap manufacturers and the genre became known as a soap opera. By the
1940s, manufacturers began to recognize the way in which consumers were developing
relationships with their brands in a social/psychological/anthropological sense.
April 2, 1993, or Marlboro Friday, is often considered the death of the brand. Philip Morris, after
more than 50 years investment in advertising to build a premium brand image, announced a 20%

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price cut for of Marlboro cigarettes in order to compete with generic cigarettes. In response to
the announcement, advertising expenditure declined and Wall Street stocks nose-dived for a
large number of branded companies: Heinz, Coca-Cola, Quaker Oats, PepsiCo, Tide, and Lysol.
Some analysts thought the event signaled the beginning of a trend towards "brand blindness"
(Klein 13), questioning the power of "brand value," however the fall proved to be short-lived.
Branding in today’s Markets
A central function of branding is the facilitation of the consumer choice process. Due to the
complexity of having to select a product amongst thousands of similar offerings, consumers will
instinctively attempt to simplify their choice process by selecting brands that have satisfied them
in the past. Thus, one can conclude that pleasant past experiences is highly conducive to
consumers associating benefits to a brand. One can conclude that a central function of branding
is its ability to negate the need for a consumer to seek out information when a need or a want has
been recognized, but rather, lead him to a brand that has been satisfying in the past.
One must acknowledge however, that frequent purchasing of a brand cannot always be linked to
previous experiences, but can alternatively be formed by embedded perceptions. A consumer
might strongly favor a brand with no prior purchasing experience. This type of consumer
behavior is based on stimulus provided by direct exposure to advertising campaigns, a
company’s PR efforts or even a high concentration of local distribution in an area that is in close
proximity to a consumer. In terms of companies’ views on branding, it can induce the natural
differentiation of their offerings, which ultimately, will produce a state of competitive advantage.
Differentiation can only allow for competitive advantage if the cost of differentiating is
significantly lower than the revenue earned by the sales. Differential advantage allows
companies to showcase their offer in respects to other competitors in the same marketplace.

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Importance of Branding
Principle of branding - A set of related products that are manufactured by a company and are
sold as a family of products under the marquee or banner of a brand have a certain recognition
and a place of respect within that very market. Branding the product thus, is a means of creation
of identification and recognition in the market. It is not just a process of getting a trademark and
logo, but it is process of evolving as a well reputed name on the market and field. A very well-
known brand that has become the identity of the market itself is the office equipment
manufacturer 'Xerox'. Though it is a company's name, the act of photocopying is termed as
'Xerox' and another example is ‘Cadbury’ where chocolate is termed as ‘Cadbury’

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Importance of Branding in Business
From the point of view of a business, the process of branding involves making of a trademark
and a good name. A registered trademark and a name ensure individuality and uniqueness of a
particular product or family of products. The lawful registration of the trademark means that any
competitor cannot copy any of the elements and names of the products. Branding can be done for
anything that can be promoted in the consumer's market, may it be a simple label, a family of
products or an umbrella brand. People can also have a personal brand. The primary advantage of
branding is that it is safeguarded from unlawful activities and at the same time, it is also a way of
developing a good reputation in the market. Often you might see some new product carry the tag
that says 'from the makers of …brand', well this is another advantage of branding. When a
business who owns an already famous brand wants to launch a new brand in the market, they can
use the pre-earned goodwill and reputation for the new launch. The advantage is that, people are
bound to purchase the new products out of curiosity.

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Importance of Branding in Marketing
Marketing primarily involves the study of demand in a market and creating a response in the
form of supply. In the field of marketing, the brand name plays an important role as it helps the
people to promote the brand name and its merits quite easily. Apart from that, it also becomes
possible for the marketing people to generate intelligence information about the brands
popularity and also what people exactly want from the brand owning company. As a result of a
brand loyal group of consumers, it also becomes easier for marketing department to asses regular
and promised demand. Apart from that, schemes such as free gifts and discounts often boost the
sales as the brand is an important icon of the market.
Importance of Branding in Advertising
Advertising is often considered to be a part of marketing however; branding a particular product
helps the advertisers to provide catchy logos and advertisements. As a brand name can never be
copied, advertisers face lesser heat from unauthenticated advertisements, effectively, their
advertisement creation gets protected. Apart from that advertisers can initiate fearless and
independent advertising as due to the process of branding, the consumers are already well aware
of the product, its identity and nature. In short, the importance of branding can be summed up in
simple words 'successful branding is a process that generates revenue that cannot be counted, it
creates a reputation that is felt not seen, and it is an asset that one cannot show on a balance
sheet.

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Understanding Consumer Buying Behavior
Consumer behavior refers to the mental and emotional process and the observable behavior of
consumers during searching, purchasing and post consumption of a product or service
Consumer behavior involves study of how people buy, what they buy, when they buy and why
they buy. It blends the elements from psychology, sociology, socio psychology, anthropology
and economics. It also tries to assess the influence on the consumer from groups such as family,
friends, reference groups and society in general.
Buyer behavior has two aspects: the final purchase activity visible to any observer and the
detailed or short decision process that may involve the interplay of a number of complex
variables not visible to anyone.
Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities
associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services, including the consumer's
emotional, mental and behavioural responses that precede or follow these activities. Consumer

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behaviour emerged in the 1940s and 50s as a distinct sub-discipline in the marketing area.
Consumer behaviour is an inter-disciplinary social science that blends elements
from psychology, sociology, social anthropology, ethnography, marketing and economics
especially behavioural economics. It examines how emotions, attitudes and preferences affect
buying behaviour.
Characteristics of individual consumers such as demographics, personality lifestyles and
behavioural variables such as usage rates, usage occasion, loyalty, brand advocacy, willingness
to provide referrals, in an attempt to understand people's wants and consumption are all
investigated in formal studies of consumer behaviour. The study of consumer behaviour also
investigates the influences, on the consumer, from groups such as family, friends, sports,
reference groups, and society in general.
The study of consumer behaviour is concerned with all aspects of purchasing behaviour - from
pre-purchase activities through to post-purchase consumption, evaluation and disposal activities.
It is also concerned with all persons involved, either directly or indirectly, in purchasing
decisions and consumption activities including brand-influencers and opinion leaders. Research
has shown that consumer behaviour is difficult to predict, even for experts in the field. However,
new research methods such as ethnography and consumer neuroscience are shedding new light
on how consumers make decisions.
Customer relationship management (CRM) databases have become an asset for the analysis of
customer behaviour. The voluminous data produced by these databases enables detailed
examination of behavioural factors that contribute to customer re-purchase intentions, consumer
retention, loyalty and other behavioural intentions such as the willingness to provide positive
referrals, become brand advocates or engage in customer citizenship activities. Databases also
assist in market segmentation, especially behavioural segmentation such as developing loyalty
segments, which can be used to develop tightly targeted, customized marketing strategies on a
one-to-one basis.
In the 1940s and 50s, marketing was dominated by the so-called classical schools of
thought which were highly descriptive and relied heavily on case study approaches with only

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occasional use of interview methods. At the end of the 1950s, two important reports criticised
marketing for its lack of methodological rigor, especially the failure to adopt mathematically-
oriented behavioural science research methods. The stage was set for marketing to become more
inter-disciplinary by adopting a consumer-behaviourist perspective.
From the 1950s, marketing began to shift is reliance away from economics and towards other
disciplines, notably the behavioural sciences, including sociology, anthropology and clinical
psychology. This resulted in a new emphasis on the customer as a unit of analysis. As a result,
new substantive knowledge was added to the marketing discipline - including such ideas as
opinion leadership, reference groups and brand loyalty. Market segmentation, especially
demographic segmentation based on socioeconomic status (SES) index and household life-cycle,
also became fashionable. With the addition of consumer behaviour, the marketing discipline
exhibited increasing scientific sophistication with respect to theory development and testing
procedures.
Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Behavior
Consumer buying behavior is influenced by the major three factors:
1. Social Factors
2. Psychological Factors
3. Personal Factors.
1. Social Factors
Social factors refer to forces that other people exert and which affect consumers’ purchase
behavior. These social factors can include culture and subculture, roles and family, social class
and reference groups.
Example:
By taking into consideration Reference group, these can influence/ affect the consumer buying
behavior. Reference group refers to a group with whom an individual identifies herself/ himself

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and the extent to which that person assumes many values, attitudes or behavior of group
members. Reference groups can be family, school or college, work group, club membership,
citizenship etc.
Reference groups serve as one of the primary agents of consumer socialization and learning and
can be influential enough to induce not only socially acceptable consumer behavior but also
socially unacceptable and even personal destructive behavior. For example, if fresher student
joins a college / university, he/she will meet different people and form a group, in that group
there can be behavior patterns of values, for example style of clothing, handsets which most of
group member prefer or even destructive behavior such as excessive consumption of alcohol, use
of harmful and addictive drugs etc. So, according to how an individual references him / her to
that particular reference group, this will influence and change his/her buying behavior.
2. Psychological Factors
These are internal to an individual and generate forces within that influence her/his purchase
behavior. The major forces include motives, perception, learning, attitude and personality.
Example
Attitude is an enduring organization of motivational, emotional, perceptual and cognitive
processes with respect to some aspect of our environment. Consumers form attitude towards a
brand on the basis of their beliefs about the brand. For example, consumers of Sony products
might have the belief that the products offered by Sony are durable; this will influence those
customers to buy Sony products due to this attitude towards the brand.
3. Personal Factors
These include those aspects that are unique to a person and influence purchase behavior. These
factors include demographic factors, lifestyle, and situational factors.
Example:
Lifestyle is an indicator of how people live and express themselves on the basis of their
activities, interests, and opinions. Lifestyle dimension provide a broader view of people about
how they spend their time the importance of things in their surroundings and their beliefs on

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broad issues associated with life and living and themselves. This is influenced by demographic
factors and personality.
E.g. - A CEO or Manager is likely to buy more formal clothes, ties and shoes or PDAs and less
informal clothes like jeans as compared to a Mechanic or Civil engineer. So according to their
lifestyle and profession, the buying behavior of people differs from one another

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Consumer Buying Decision Process
Consumer buying decision process is the processes undertaken by consumer in regard to a
potential market transaction before, during and after the purchase of a product or service.
Consumer decision making process generally involves five stages:
A. Problem Recognition
Purchase decision making process begins when a buyer becomes aware of an unsatisfied need or
problem. This is the vital stage in buying decision process, because without recognizing the need
or want, an individual would not seek to buy goods or service.
There are several situations that can cause problem recognition, these include:
 Depletion of stock
 Dissatisfaction with goods in stock
 Environmental Changes
 Change in Financial Situation
 Marketer Initiated Activities

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It’s when a person recognizes that she cannot make a call from her mobile phone that’s when she
recognizes that her phone has been damaged i.e. the phone has hardware problems and needs to
be repaired or buying a new piece.
B. Information Search
After the consumer has recognized the need, he / she will try to find the means to solve that need.
First he will recall how he used to solve such kind of a problem in the past, this is called nominal
decision making. Secondly, a consumer will try to solve the problem by asking a friend or goes
to the market to seek advice for which product will best serve his need, this is called limited
decision making.
Sources of information include:
 Personal sources
 Commercial Sources
 Public sources
 Personal experience
C. Alternatives Evaluation
Consumers’ evaluates criteria refer to various dimension; features, characteristics and benefits
that a consumer desires to solve a certain problem. Product features and its benefit is what
influence consumer to prefer that particular product. The consumer will decide which product to
buy from a set of alternative products depending on each unique feature that the product offers
and the benefit he / she can get out of that feature.
D. Purchase Action
This stage involves selection of brand and the retail outlet to purchase such a product.
Retail outlet image and its location are important. Consumer usually prefers a nearby retail outlet
for minor shopping and they can willingly go to a far away store when they purchase items
which are of higher values and which involve higher sensitive purchase decision. After selecting

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where to buy and what to buy, the consumer completes the final step of transaction by either cash
or credit.
E. Post-Purchase Actions
Consumer favorable post-purchase evaluation leads to satisfaction. Satisfaction with the
purchase is basically a function of the initial performance level expectation and perceived
performance relative to those expectations. Consumer tends to evaluate their wisdom on the
purchase of that particular product. This can result to consumer experiencing post purchase
dissatisfaction. If the consumer’s perceived performance level is below expectation and fail to
meet satisfaction this will eventually cause dissatisfaction, and so the brand and/ or the outlet
will not be considered by the consumer in the future purchases. This might cause the consumer
to initiate complaint behavior and spread negative word-of-mouth concerning that particular
product.

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Branding’s Influence on ConsumerPurchasing Behavior
The preceding section of this literature reviewed has sought to define the term branding and
explain its functions and values as an instrumental marketing tool used in attaining differential
and competitive advantage.
The following section of this literature review will seek to enlighten the impact branding has on
the consumer decision-making process.
First however, one must gain clear insight into the definition of consumer buying behavior in
order to understand the impact branding has on it. In defining “consumer buying behavior”, one
may refer to Assael (1987) who distinguishes four types of consumer buying behaviors. He bases
these four consumer types on the varying degrees of involvement and the degree of
differentiation amongst the brands in question.
Consumers who are described as displaying complex buying behavior will expand their beliefs
regarding a particular product as a starting point. This stage will eventually lead them to develop
positive attitudes regarding the product. These intermediary stages lead them to the final stage of
their behavioral pattern, where they consciously make the choice of purchasing the product.
Referring to the Assael’s model; one will notice this type of consumer engages in highly
involved purchasing experiences being fully aware of the range of brands available and their
levels of differentiation.
Assael (1987) classifies consumer who exhibit Dissonance-reducing behavior as consumer who
are highly involved in the purchasing experience, however see few differences between brands.
For this reason, the consumer will seek information on the differentiation of the product
offerings and will not be particularly price sensitive when seeking functionality. In the event that
this consumer finds him or herself in a market that displays low levels of differentiation, the
consumer might result to purchasing influenced by convenience. Like consumers who display
complex buying behavior, consumers with dissonance-reducing behavior will seek to establish
personal beliefs regarding the product. If fostered adequately, these beliefs with eventually

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transform into attitudes regarding the product offerings. These attitudes, if favourable, will lead
to a thoughtful purchase.
Assael (1987) considered consumes displaying habitual buying behavior as consumers who did
not experience the same sequence as the previous two behavioral types. Instead of basing their
decision-making process on seeking product information pertaining to functionality or
characteristics, this type of consumer will purchase based on information gathered passively, via
the company’s promotional efforts, by it through the medium of television, radio or print
advertising. This behavioral type, as can be seen on Assael’s (1987) model, with low-level
involvement products. Differentiating this consumer type is the fact that they being the process
with beliefs already embedded in their mind, which they have learnt passively, rather than
actively.
Variety-seekers are the last behavioral type contained in Assael’s (1987) model. Their typical
buying situation is summarized by low-level involvement in a market that displays high levels of
product differentiation. Common to this type of consumer, is “brand switching”, in order to
satisfy their need for diversification.
In order to fully ascertain the effects that branding has on the consumer decision making process,
the Howard-Sheth Decision-making model by Howard and Sheth (1969) is used that explains not
only the process of consumer decision-making during purchasing activities, but one that
facilitates the understanding of pre and post purchasing activities as well.

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Impact on the Consumer Learning Process
At its most basic definition, one can define the consumer learning process as being a time period
in which a customer is heavily exposed to the branding process of a product or service. The

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branding process can include any aspect of the promotional strategy, including audio/visual
forms of promotion. By learning from this information, whether it is a conscious process or not,
the consumer will develop strong feelings towards a brand. For marketers, branding has a vital
effect on the learning process, because it is self-growing. Once consumers start to purchase
product, others will vicariously learn from them. Vicarious learning is when consumers begin to
copy the behavioral patterns of their peers by making changes in their own lives to reflect what
they have “vicariously” learnt.
In searching for a more academic view on consumer learning, one can understand the process as
modifications to a consumer’s behavioral patterns that are the direct consequence of either past
experiences or information gathered during all aspects of the purchase decision-making process.
These modifications are caused by information that has essentially been saved as a set of
meaningful associations in the consumer’s mind. These above-mentioned associations provide
the consumer with link to the brand image of offerings in respects to the promotional tools used
to further this brand image. These tools include both physical characteristics of the product as
well as pricing policies. All the elements that are retained by the consumer stem from what they
have been exposed to during their individual learning process. This is ultimately, what will shape
their views and attitudes in regards to brands.
It has been found that the learning process discussed above acts as a catalyst in creating
emotional and evaluating responses. These responses are embedded in the consumer’s memory
span, which will be recalled when faced with a purchase decision-making process. Thus,
understanding the learning process is the key to marketers who seek to efficiently use
promotional methods to influence consumers, because the imprints they create in the mind of
consumer will later on be recalled when selecting a product or brand.

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Impact on Consumers’ Perception of Brands
One may refer to Foxall (1980), where Engel defines perception as “the process whereby stimuli
are received and interpreted by the individual and translated into a response”. At this point, it is
important to note that this process is unique to each individual, as perception is highly dependent
on a consumer’s individual beliefs structure.
Perception is crucial in the decision-making process. In a market where branding is used,
products are no longer only purchased for their functional characteristics, but primarily for the
social or in some cases, psychological identity they express.
Building on these concepts, One can elaborate on these concepts by outlining two determinants
that influence a consumer’s perception of brands. These two factors are stimulus discrimination
and stimulus generalization.
Whether a consumer has the ability to “discriminate” between the various methods used to
stimulate a consumer? When a customer is introduced to a brand, whether this is done via
advertising, packaging, word of mouth marketing or any other form of stimuli that affected them
during their decision-making process, their levels of awareness of the brand will gradually
increase via their ability to learn. Once their level of brand awareness has increased, their
purchase decision-making process will be influenced by their perception of the brand in question.
The perception of brands is crucial to both the marketer and the customer. If one considers that
frequency of purchases varies from consumer to consumer, one can understand that the influence
of perception is vital. By providing relevant information for the consumer market, marketers
enable the creation of symbolic links between the consumer and the brand image. Thus,
consumers will have the relevant tools needed to distinguish between the brands on offer and
therefore be persuaded in their selection. In the event that a consumer is a new user with no
product experience, he or she will not be able to make relevant decisions based on the actual
product. Thus, the brand image again, becomes vital in directing the consumer to a specific
product.
In order to better understand the relevance of branding on the consumer purchase decision
making process, four key factors that are responsible for directing a potential consumer towards
a particular brand are referred.

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Brands have a large impact on the perceived risks consumers associate with the consumer
purchase decision-making process. There to be six risks that are perceived by consumers during
all aspects of the decision-making process and further outlines how brands can appease the
consumer’s mind in regards to these perceived risks.
The first perceived risk a consumer might encounter is one of a functional nature. The consumer
might worry whether the product will meet his or her expectations. In the creation of a
trustworthy brand, marketers seek to raise the level of perceived quality in order to specifically
address this risk.
Consumer might also perceive a physical and/or psychological risk that might dissuade them
from continuing the purchasing decision-making process.
A fourth possible risk that might be perceived by the consumer is one of an economic nature.
Price sensitive consumers will question whether the product is in fact properly valued at the
quoted asking price. Again, marketers will strive to counter this by highlighting the perceived
value of a product in the branding process. If properly done, consumer can become price
insensitive by forming a strong bond to a brand and therefore isolating him or herself from
competitors.
Socially speaking, a fifth risk a consumer might perceived to be detrimental to the buying
process is whether his or her selection of a brand will cause embarrassment in a social setting,
amongst his or her peers. Marketers address this issue in the creation of the brand image. By
emulating current market trends and fashions, marketers strive to identify and differentiate their
products as being the selected choice of revered people.
.
Yet another economic risk consumer might consider, is the opportunity cost of seeking out
alternative products, and should the selected one fail to satisfy their needs and wants. Reflected
in a loyal consumer base, is a brands ability to deliver on the satisfaction guarantee. Thus, one
can understand that branding is the key in addressing this issue in the consumer’s mind.

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Impact on Consumers’ Attitudes Towards Brands
An attitude can be considered to be either positive or negative, depending on the outcome of
their learning and evaluating process.
The evaluation of consumer attitudes towards brands has quickly become a major part in
conducting marketing research. The development of positive attitudes towards brands can lead to
not only the sustaining of competitive advantage, but in the bettering of the financial health of a
company.
Branding has been found to be a key in formation of positive attitudes towards products,
especially those involving low-levels of consumer involvement. However it has been noted that
there are factors that might negate the effects of the formation of positive attitudes. One being

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that the effects of positive attitudes can dissipate should the consumer not purchase the product
within a certain timeframe. Another factor that might negate the effects of positive attitudes
might be an overtly high pricing policy, which might have a contrary effect to the consumer’s
positive attitudes towards the brand and result in a non sale.
In considering attitudes towards brands, one must ponder whether these attitudes all remain at a
conscious level, or whether branding can instigate attitudes at a sub-conscious level. Sigmund
Freud’s theory that individuals are rarely aware of how their own psychology shapes their visual
behavioral patterns which suggests that at an unconscious level, consumer might have beliefs
that shape their attitudes towards products. By acknowledging Freud’s theories, one can
conclude that branding can be used to target sub-conscious desires that rest at a primal level.
Positioning
Various authors have given different definition of Positioning. Some are:-
Beckman, Kurtz, Boonee Product positioning refers to the consumer’s perception of a product’s
attribute, use, quality & advantages & disadvantages in relation to competing brands.
Berkowitz, Kerlin, Rudelius Product positioning refers to the place an offering occupies in the
consumer’s mind on important attributes relative to competitive offerings.
Usefulness of Positioning
As competition intensifies & brands proliferate, consumers tend to differentiate between brands
in their own way. Positioning is a conscious attempt on the part of the marketer to accentuate this
natural tendency & in the process, impart a distinct identity to his own brand to make it stand out
among the competitors. The basis on which this differentiation is achieved reflects consumer
preferences or attitudes. The marketer, through his diverse & coordinated actions, tries to
influence this process.
The concept of positioning is also important in various other aspects of the marketing strategy.
Once one is clear about the position one wants, the other marketing decisions like product
design, packaging, pricing, method of distribution, etc., become clearer.

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Brand Positioning
It should be remembered that positioning is more a reflection of a product and that it stifles the
rich meaning of the brand without taking into account all its potentialities.
Positioning applies to the process of emphasizing the brands distinctive and motivating attributes
in the light of competition.
It is based on the analysis of response to the following four questions.
POSITIONING
 Why?
 For whom?
 When?
 Against whom?
Elements of Positioning
Evidence has shown that there are three distinct variables that affect the position of a given
product. These are:-
a) The product itself,
b) The company behind it,
c) The competition,

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1. The Product: - How important the product is or what meaning it has for the consumer & how
he relates to it. The fact that a product involves better ingredients or processes is a matter of
indifference unless this knowledge offers distinct advantages to the consumer.
2. The Company: - A product comes from a company & every company has its own history.
Generally, the stronger the companies profile the better the image of its products. For instance,
consumers may perceive a better the image of a product if it comes from a reputed house like
Tata’s.
3. The Competition: - Product positioning is invariably done in relation to various competitive
offerings. In most cases, the consumers have a tendency to judge a product in comparison to the
dominant brand, e.g., all photocopiers are compared with Modi Xerox, all PCs with HCL,
toothpastes with Colgate & so on. Leading brand enjoys some edge over others.

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Problem Statement
Fashion Industry is a business with high level of competition. The success of fashion business is
dependent on its ability to understand consumer behavior and its response to it. A brand must
focus on its customer preferences and factors influencing customer’s purchase decision.
Technological advancement and online shopping is affecting consumer preferences and buying
patterns. Reliance is India’s largest organized fashion retailer. Reliance Retail has a portfolio of over
40 international brands that spans across the entire spectrum of luxury, bridge to luxury, high–premium
and high–street lifestyle. Reliance Retail operates over 598 stores for these international brands and
continues to partner with new and revered international brands. The strong brand portfolio reinforces
Reliance Retail as a partner of choice for best international brands.
Leveraging on to Reliance Retail’s deep market understanding, unwavering focus and strong
operating capabilities, many International brands from the portfolio have made India a
significant market outside of their home countries and have largest store presence in India then
any country. This reflects the trust and optimism which Reliance Retail and its partner brands
share with each other.
It is facing tough competition from other major players in fashion sector. So to stay ahead in the
competition it is important for Reliance to study and evaluate consumer buying behavior.

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Scope of Study
The study helps in understanding the concepts of branding and consumer behavior precisely in
fashion industry. The study also highlights the effects of brands on consumer buying behavior in
relation to readymade garments. The study will facilitate the reader to analyze the branding
strategies adopted by some of the companies in the readymade garments to woo the consumers
into buying their products. The following study was done in the sub urban areas of Mumbai.
Limitations
 This project is limited due to time constraint as it involves a lot of complex variables
which require a detailed study over a period of time.
 The project did not cover the effect of branding on a very large scale. Only a small
population was studied, which may not be enough to show correct picture.
 The consumers were very reluctant to answer the question and the response may be
biased.

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LITERATURE REVIEW
 Consumers consider some attributes of a product before making a decision in respect of
purchase (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2010). Consumer perspective to a collection of some of
the brand creates an overview of the product (Hawkins, Best, & Coney, 2004). The views
of consumers about a product is a collection of attributes that has a lot of benefits to meet
their needs (Assael, 2004). The picture that is created is a representation of the variety of
experience that is used as a basis for consideration from the effect of consumer
perceptions of a product at the same election on the irregularities or the superiority of the
product (Cannon, Perreault, & McCarthy, 2009). Assael (2004) defines purchase
behavior as the tendency to act on the object. According to Schiffman and Kanuk (2010),
purchase behavior is the stage prior to purchasing decisions in the purchase decision
process. In the theory of planned behavior proposed by Ajzen (1991), attitudes can be
used to predict the behavior of interest. According to Assael (2004), marketers are always
testing the elements of the marketing mix that may influence buying behavior, for
example by testing product concepts, advertising strategy, packing or brand. Marketers
should strive to measure intention to purchase by the consumer and determine the factors
that influence these intentions. When consumers have a good attitude towards the
delivered product or service, consumers tend to have a positive interest to behave so as to
strengthen the customer relationship with the company (Assael, 2004).
 Schiffman & Kanuk (2010); Hawkins, Best & Coney (2004) and Assael (2004)
mentioned that the consumer made the purchase decision is influenced by several
measurements, namely (1) the measurement of culture, which has the most influence and
the most extensive in the behavior of consumers so that marketers need to understand the
influence of culture, sub-culture, and social class of consumers; (2) social measurement,
which need to be considered when designing a marketing strategy because these factors
can affect consumer responses; (3) personal measurements, which consists of the age and
stage of life cycle, occupation, economic situation, lifestyle, personality, and self-concept

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affects the consumer on what is purchased; and (4) psychological measurement, include
motivation, perception, learning and beliefs and attitudes also influence the selection of
consumer purchases.
 Chen & Chen (2013) examined the perceptions of Chinese consumers towards global
apparel brands. It investigated the preferences of Chinese consumers for foreign brands,
their perceptions of intangible attributes of global apparel brands. The study used a
survey questionnaire to gather information from Chinese consumers through a mall
intercept method of convenience sampling. The sample was the consumers exiting retail
shopping outlets with half the sampling taking place in one city and the other half taking
place in the other city in China. The findings of the study indicated that there was a slight
preference for foreign apparel brands among Chinese consumers. The findings of the
study indicate that there is a slight preference for foreign apparel brands over domestic
apparel brands. The factors that appear to have the greatest influence over the perception
of Chinese consumers towards foreign apparel brands are the belief that foreign brands
are more fashionable than domestic brands.
 Kiong (2013) aimed to identify the predictor of consumer preferences in choosing an
international brand of fashion products among Malaysian young consumers. Of the 200
respondents from Klang district, the study found that country-of-origin perception has the
strongest predictor towards consumer preferences followed by perceived product quality,
promotion stimulation, and perceived brand image and fashion lifestyle. This study is
important to the marketers to understand the consumer preferences in choosing an
international brand of fashion products in developing countries. The marketer also could
understand the market segmentation and accordingly formulate competitive marketing
strategies and utilize target market wisely.
 Palanivelu & Ganesh (2013) demonstrated the role of Indian Trade Policy in textile
sector, and analyzes the impact of government support and incentives. Further it also
explored the contributions of textile industry towards the economic development of the

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nation through export trade. The key risk identified in this sector is foreign exchange
losses due to the volatility in the rupee against the US dollar as well as higher interest
costs; large portion of the processing capacity is obsolete. Further state of the art
integrated mills exist majority of the capacity lies currently with the power loom sector
this has also 30 | P a g e resulted in low value addition in the industry and also Indian
textile industries need to increase focus on product development. The key strengths
identified in Indian textile sector are abundant availability of raw materials, low cost
skilled labours and also growing domestic markets. So the Government of India must
take some effort in the forth coming years towards the optimum utilization of all the key
strengths and also the government should minimize the risk by means of increasing the
support and incentives
 K.Myilswamy (2013) in his study ‘A Study on Consumer Brand Preference towards
Using DTH Service Providers In Coimbatore City’ explored the marketing includes all
activities which are concerned with effecting changes in the ownership and position of
goods and services”. Direct marketing involves by passing the retailer in regarding in
reaching the customer. . In this study there are five companies were included those are
Sun Direct, Big TV, Digital TV, Dish TV, TATA Sky. Primary data were collected from
100 respondents by convenient sampling method through questionnaire and also by
interview method in Coimbatore district. 15 respondents were selected to pilot study and
based on their suggestions necessary modifications were made in the actual
questionnaire. This study consists of simple percentage analysis to done keeping in mind
the objectives of the study, chi – square parameters were employed to test the hypothesis
spelt out in the study. Garrett ranking techniques was used to rank the preference of the
respondents on different aspects of the study, the percentage position of each rank thus
obtained into scores by referring to the table given by Henry E. Garrett. Analysis of
variance to make two estimates of population variance those based on between sample
variance and the other based on within variance are compare with F – test table. The
present study reveals that majority of the respondents preferred Big TV for more

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channels because they can pay for what they want to watch. The company can reduce the
price to fulfill the needs for low-income level of people.
 Mittal And Agrawal (2012) analyzed the consumer and his behavior is the cornerstone of
success in marketing. It included all the physical, mental and emotional processes and
concerned behavior which are observable before, during and after each and every
purchase of goods and services. This made them compelling to understand, observe,
record and react to such behavior in case they want to have win-win strategy that matter
for marketer and the customer both. The research report presented is based on the
“Consumer Perception towards Branded Garments”. Through this study an attempt has
been made to practically understand those emotional or rational appeals, which drive the
purchase decision toward the branded garments. Also certain demographic and
psychographic profiles have been studied and certain relation has been developed.
Branded readymade garment is supposed to have 21% share in the Rs. 20,000 Cr garment
industry which is having vertical growth rate of around 20%. Survey depicted that there
is a relationship between the consumer’s income and the satisfaction derived from a
purchased product. People are price sensitive and the final selection or rejection of the
good depends on price/budget of the buyer. Major brands recognized by survey
respondents, in different apparel categories are as follows : Jeans: Levis T-shirts: Levis
and Pepe Jeans Formal shirts and pants: Koutons
 Rajput (2012) analyzed the significance of demographic profile of consumers affecting
the purchase decision of branded garments and to observe from gender perspective the
consumer awareness about different apparel brands available in the Indian market and
also to find out whether there is a significant difference in total expenditure on branded
apparels done by males vis- a - vis females. The results confirm that Indian people have
become highly brand conscious presently. Hence, brand image is a not a significant factor
in choosing the product or brand to buy. There are other aspects like, quality, comfort,
expectations and demographic characteristics are also influence to the purchasing
decision that dominate the purchase decision of males and females. From the analytical

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introspection it is evident that the gender differences do exist with respect to build
attitude towards fashionable apparels and brands. Further, variation in age and income is
not significant as consumers preferred brands or outfits irrespective of that. Allen Solly
tops the minds of the customers followed by Van Heusen and Raymond which refers to
the maximum frequency of recalling the brands. These are the most familiar and favorite
brands also among brand aware consumers, specifically in context of India.
 Ismail, Masood & Tawab (2012) conducted in order to determine the consumer
preferences of global brands instead of local ones. It is also designed to find out the
buying behavior patterns of young Pakistani consumers Consumer evaluates products
based on information cues, which are intrinsic and extrinsic. A number of factors affect
the consumer purchase decisions. The results suggested that most important factors that
influence a consumer’s final decision are the price and quality of the product in question.
Since the consumers usually associate the price of the brand with its quality, a brand
priced too low is generally perceived as a low quality product. Similarly, a product priced
too high may not be affordable by many. Other factors that have an impact on the
consumer preferences are: consumer ethnocentrism, country of origin, social status, price
relativity with the competing brands and family and friends. The research was conducted
in Karachi and the samples selected included 200 people of age 16-24. The data collected
for the research was through a questionnaire and was conducted in two popular shopping
malls of the city and two universities since the target audience was largely the youth.
Calculations were then analyzed and interpreted using a percentage of respondents and
through frequency distribution tables and charts. According to their findings, 78% of the
females were not willing to even substitute the global brand with a domestic if the foreign
brand is not available. The males, however, were not found to be that prone to the foreign
brand.
 According to Krishna and Dash (2012) consumers are also now-a-days preferring store
brands heavily because they can save on money. Their study is based on the pilot study
conducted as part of PhD study to determine the consumer preferences towards private

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label branded apparel in India, which is an empirical study using conjoint analysis. The
paper gave the research findings of the pilot study conducted in Hyderabad and
Secunderabad twin cities. It helps them to understand the consumer buying behavior
towards private label branded apparel. The information obtained from a conjoint analysis
can be applied to a wide variety of market research questions. It has been used to
investigate areas such as product design, market share, strategic advertising, cost-benefit
analysis, and market segmentation. Although the focus of this manual was on market
research applications, conjoint analysis can be useful in almost any scientific or business
field in which measuring people’s perceptions or judgments is important. The results
showed that price has the most influence on overall preference. This means that there is a
large difference in preference between product profiles containing the high price and
those containing the least price. The results have also shown that a money-back guarantee
plays the least important role in determining overall preference. Price played a very
significant role in this model.
 Soren T. Anderson (2012) in this study ‘The Formation and Persistence of Automobile
Brand Preferences ‘emphasized on the brand preferences in the automobile market
demonstrate strong persistence, which implies that market conditions and policies that
influence purchases today may reverberate far into the future. In this study, we cover
novel empirical evidence that (1) individuals tend to choose the same brand of
automobile again and again and that (2) adult children tend to choose the same brands as
their parents. Our results suggest that intergenerational correlations may arise both from
information sharing within families and from endogenous preference formation in youth.
These patterns of preference formation and persistence have implications for the long-
term impacts of transportation policies and for automakers' pricing and product line
strategies.
 Shah (2012) aims to study factors affecting Pakistan’s university students’ purchase
intention towards foreign apparel brands. Purchase intention is explained in terms of
general consumer variables (normative influence, consumer confidence) and brand

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specific variables (perceived quality, emotional value). The sample comprised of students
enrolled at two universities in major cities of Pakistan (Islamabad & Rawalpindi), with
315 participants completing the self administered questionnaire during scheduled classes.
Results reveal that susceptibility to normative influence and consumer confidence had
positive impact on brand consciousness. Brand consciousness had positive impact on
perceived quality of international apparel brands & emotional value that these brands
generate. Both quality and emotional value had significant impact on purchase intention.
The findings of this study cannot be generalized to other consumer products, or other
segments of society, such as children, professionals. However, results reveal that foreign
apparel brands need to focus on quality and their brand’s emotional attributes if they want
to succeed in Pakistan’s apparel market.
 Sundarraj (2011) brought the difference between the two groups of consumers and to
understand their preference. The study also aims to determine the awareness of social
responsibility and green fashion among Indian consumers. The study was confined to
study the behavior and awareness towards ethical fashion among young Indian
generation; hence extrapolation of the results may not be possible since there is a wide
difference in customer preference, behavior, and the factors like socioeconomic,
demographic and psychographic across regions. Details regarding demographic,
economic, social, physiographic and behavioral characteristics of the consumer,
consumer‘s awareness, buying behavior and preferences for buying apparels were taken
as part of the survey. The study concluded that there is the influence of domestic apparel
manufacturers on the young consumers. The young consumers prefer domestic products
than international products and that is because the domestic products understand the
consumer better and products are based on nativity and suits their needs than
international products. Although international products possess more quality, consumers
still consider those as luxurious ones with high price.
 P. S. Venkateswaran(2011) Brand personality is generally understood as the
distinguishing characteristic of the brand, what some call the persona of the brand. Just

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like people, all brands have a personality to some degree. In certain cases, it’s highly
emotional and vibrant; in other cases, it is understated or barely noticeable. Since brand
personality is intangible and exists in an emotional monarchy, it is often underrated by
marketers. A recognizable and well defined brand personality is the key to a successful
brand’s appeal. Researchers proposed that brand personality boosts consumer preference
and usage (Sirgy, 1982), induces emotions in consumers (Biel, 1993), and has a positive
relationship with levels of trust and loyalty (Fournier, 1994).
 Bronnenberg (2010) studied the long-run evolution of brand preferences, using new data
on consumers’ life histories and purchases of consumer packaged goods. Variation in
where consumers have lived in the past allows us to isolate the causal effect of past
experiences on current purchases, holding constant contemporaneous supply-side factors
such as availability, prices, and advertising. Heterogeneity in brand preferences explains
40 percent of geographic variation in market shares. These preferences develop
endogenously as a function of consumers’ life histories and are highly persistent once
formed, with experiences 50 years in the past still exerting a significant effect on current
consumption. Counterfactuals suggest that brand preferences create large entry barriers
and durable advantages for incumbent firms, and can explain persistence of early-mover
advantage over long periods. Variation across product categories shows that the
persistence of brand preferences is related in an intuitive way to both advertising levels
and the social visibility of consumption.
 Natarajan P. and Thiripurasundari U (2010) this study observes that consumer preference
of global brands vs. local brands in the Indian car industry. Consumer brand perceptions
have substantial implications in marketing. The customers' preference towards local and
global brands is studied by administering structured interview schedule with 150
customers in Puducherry city. The findings of the study advised that the consumers who
possessed global car brands, preferred their car brands due to factors such as global
presence, worldwide reputation and quality of being a foreign made. Consumers made
favourable perceptions the country, wherein they tend to associate factors such as

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45
superior quality, technical advancements, modernization etc. to the country from which
the brand had taken its origin. Consumers who owned a local brand evaluated the local
brand in a favourable manner, wherein they tend to associate the brand to India '.V strong
automobile sector that makes quality and technically efficient cars.
 According to Granger (2010), who analyzed the evolution of the brands, in the past,
before the industrial revolution, products and services were mainly associated with
people rather than with organizations: tradesmen, shop or pub owners, tailors, bakers and
others. In most of the cases, businesses were focused on dealing with local people. Put it
simply, the individual providing the services or products was the brand itself. In the 19th
century, the industrial revolution brought many changes to agriculture, manufacturing
and transportation, which in turned brought about changes in the way of doing business.
In the late 19th century, business identity started to be associated with the idea rather than
the person. With the mass production, companies started to represent their business ideas
with labels, which functioned as company’s identity. In the 20th century brands became
so powerful, that they became the symbols of the culture itself, e.g. Coca-Cola, Levi’s,
McDonalds, etc. Brands reached their peak during 1990’s. That was the moment when
the first type of private labels was introduced into the market – the generic products.
Private labels evolved significantly since the 1990’s and their growth has changed the
whole market.
 M Sayeed Alam and Md. Farhan Faruqui (2009) in their study’ Effect of Sales Promotion
on Consumer Brand Preference: A Case Study Of Laundry Detergent in Dhaka City
Consumers’ focused on the implementation of an adequate sales promotion may
guarantee an increase in sales in a short period of time. But sales promotion does not
eventually create brand loyal customer group. This study is based on Dhaka city
consumers and focuses on detergent product. In this report the researchers tried to find
out detergent consumers’ evaluation of sales promotion and their brand association with
respect to detergent product. A sample of fifty detergent consumers was selected for this
study. Respondents expressed their opinion on structured questionnaire. It was found

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from the analysis that consumers were satisfied with the sales promotion but it does not
create long term assurance toward brand preference. It is found that consumers choose
the detergent brand with an effort. Detergent is a low involvement purchase product and
buyer basically follows habitual buying pattern for this product. Mostly consumers are
passive learners about the detergent. But Dhaka city detergent consumers are aware of the
different detergent brands and do not switch to other brands because of sales promotion.
There is no impact of sales promotion on brand loyalty of detergent consumers. The
study should be extended to different product categories. The profiles of the respondents
in terms of geographic and psychographic are to be considered for further studies
issuggested.
 As Faron (2009), a senior analyst of “Mintel” Market Research organization has noticed
on her interview to QSR magazine - "Private label manufacturers realize 'value' means
more than 'low price' to consumers, so they're wisely creating new products that deliver
on some of today's most exciting food trends”. Private label producers introduced into the
market such product line extensions as “health and wellness”, “going green” and
“premium products” Based on the comprehensive literature review of the previous
studies, this thesis offered more insights into deeper understanding of the consumers’
motivations and cognitive structures of the national brands and private labels.
Additionally to the studies made in the past, current thesis explored consumer
orientations in the different product categories, forming a four set design model while
comparing the sub-groups in the different levels of national brand vs. private label and
food vs. non-food product categories. Overall, the results confirmed the findings of
previous studies in the field of private labels by highlighting the similar attribute
preferences of the products and by revealing similar cognitive structures of the
consumers. As a result, this study has successfully validated past researches in a new and
different national brand and private label consumers’ comparison model. In respect to the
underlying objectives of this study, the previous chapter has presented and discussed the
research findings based on the Means-End Chain method. Although these results have
significantly improved our understanding of consumers’ orientations toward National

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47
brand and private label in the different product categories, there are nevertheless certain
limitations that need to be taken into account. The final section will now highlight these
limitations and provide some guidelines for the further research.
 Anuja Pandey (2009) The ever-changing marketing dynamics and increased competitive
scenario have amplified the role of brands to a great extent. Brand marketers seek ways to
achieve growth while reducing the cost of new product introduction as well as the risk of
new product failure. A popular way of launching new products has therefore been to
leverage the brand equity of an existing brand into a new sector, market or product
category. Brand extension today is an important strategic tool to rejuvenate and revitalize
an existing brand. The success of brand extension depends on the strength of the parent
brand personality and its brand equity. A strong brand equity is related to distinct brand
personality. Before going for any brand extension, it is important to understand the parent
brand personalities and thereafter attaching the desirable brand personalities to the
extended brand. This study aims at identifying the parent brand personalities as perceived
by the consumer. To understand brand personality, Jennifer Aaker’s Brand Personality
Scale (BPS) has been used.
 Liu and Choi (2009) found that fashion and clothing can show one’s personality and
image by the insight of color, styling, silhouette, etc. If a consumer can identify
himself/herself on a specific image projection of a particular brand, he/she would create
greater preferences towards this brand. Brand is used for consumers to express
themselves, which is especially prominent in fashion. When a brand possesses a strong
personality that is consistent with the consumer’s image, the consumer will have greater
preferences towards the brand. Positive brand attitude has a direct impact on consumer
involvement in branded clothing. Thus, it is postulated that brand attitude has a
significant impact on consumer involvement in fashion clothing.

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48
Methodology
Introduction
In order to understand the methodology used to compile this Project, this chapter is
included in order to clarify how an effective methodological philosophy can to contribute
the successful production of a Project, as well as comprehend the process underwent to
reach the pertinent conclusion.
This chapter also serves the purpose of justifying and authenticating the research
procedures employed in order to meet the set objectives and answers the main research
question of this Project.
Research Approach
Secondary Data
 Articles in Newspapers, Magazines and Internet
 Study Reports from Internet
 Desk Research under the guidance of my guide
Primary Data
Consumer Survey on the effect of brands on their buying behavior.
Data CollectionTools
 Questionnaire Survey
 Books
 Internet

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Findings and analysis
Secondary Research Findings
Consumer Behavior is the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select,
purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy needs and desires.
Consumers take many forms, ranging from an eight-year-old child begging her mother for
Pokémon shoes to an executive in a large corporation deciding on a multimillion-dollar computer
system. The items that are consumed can include anything: Gucci handbags, branded items.
Needs and desires to be satisfied range from hunger and thirst to love, status, or even spiritual
fulfillment
 Fashion terminology is often used by consumers in overlapping ways. A style of apparel
is defined by distinctive attributes that distinguish it from others in its category, such as
different types of skirts; a fashion is a style that has been accepted by many people; high
fashion consists of new, expensive styles offered by upper-end designer. A trend is a
general direction that may lead to a fashion. Merchandise classifications include designer,
bridge, better, moderate, and budget prices.
 Marketing activities exert an enormous impact on individuals. Consumer behavior is
relevant to the understanding of the dynamics of popular culture.
 The Internet is transforming the way consumers interact with companies and with
each other. Online commerce allows us to locate obscure product from around the
world, and consumption communities provide forums for people to share opinions
and product recommendations.

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50
 The field of consumer behavior is interdisciplinary; it is composed of researchers
from many different fields who share an interest in how people interact with the
marketplace. These disciples can be categorized by the degree to which their focus
is micro (the individual consumer) versus macro (the consumer as a member of a
group or of the larger society).
 There are many perspectives on consumer behavior, but research orientations can
roughly be divided into two approaches. The positivist perspective emphasizes the
objectivity of science and the consumer as a rational decision maker. The
interpretive perspective, in contrast, stresses the subjective meaning of the
consumer’s individual experience and the idea that any behavior is subject to
multiple interpretations rather than to one single explanation.

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51
Current Customer Trends
Male Shopping Habits
Men are creatures of habit and find comfort in what is familiar to them – less risk in
purchases.
 Research shows that nearly 75 per cent of male shoppers buy clothing at the exact
same stores they went to three years back.
 Men are not as adventurous in fashion as women and changes to wardrobe are far
less common.
 Male shoppers demand much more customer service.
 Men tend to stay with a brand or a style and stick with it for several years – less
likely to change.
 Male consumer loyalty makes it harder for new businesses or brands to attract new
customers.
 Retail stores must create some kind of compelling reason for the male shopper to
switch.
 Male oriented activities like putting greens in the sports department, computer
games, celebrity endorsements, all help men try a new store.
Marketer’s and brand retailer’s need to capitalize on this consumer trend. It’s no longer
just the metrosexual or uber-sexual man. It’s the future consumer and the buyer. In the
past men were ignored as mere buyers for their female counterparts. But as the market

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52
evolves they will be the biggest buyers for themselves. Brands need to focus on this
consumer as he will be the next big thing – The Man.
TeenagePower
 Teenage consumers influence the purchase patterns of many different age groups.
 They are the offspring of the baby boomers and represent over 14 per cent of the
total population.
 Typical teenager’s room now includes a TV, a Gopher speakers, a Tablets, a
computer and perhaps even a microwave oven.
 Each room is a highly personalized environment that can be custom tailored and
personalized as a center for entertainment.
 42 per cent of all Indian teenagers, 18 and over, have their own credit card and
increasing – another 14 per cent to have access to the credit cards.
Fashion brands need to pay more attention to this consumer segment as they are the
future of the marketplace. Increased income levels and exposure to television makes them
the consumer with the buying power, especially with the phenomenal growth in the BPO
sector where dress codes are essential and thus increasing the opportunities for brands to
market themselves and sell to this segment.

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Top Brands in India
Levis Pepe Jeans Park Avenue

Van Heusen

Nike Lee

Spykar

Flying Machine

Mango Mufti Monte Carlo
Fabindia
CalvinKlein

Adidas Guess

Puma

Supreme

LouisPhilippe Gap

Reebok

Superdry

Peter England Fabindia Provogue Allen Solly

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54
1. Zara
Established in the year 1975, this Spanish brand has become one of the popular brands among
Indian market. Zara is now the biggest apparel retailer for the online customers. The brand
always looks for the customer satisfaction and brings you one of the best designs by the top
designers.
Zara uses a mix of demographic, geographic and psychographic segmentationstrategies in order
to serve the growing needs of the customers. Zara has limited stores across the globe due to
which it uses selective targeting strategies to make their products available in the market. Usage-
based positioning strategies are used by Zara to highlight its customer’s centric approach to
satisfy the changing fad needs of the customers around the globe. Zara knows that its customers
want new and updated trends and accordingly it targets customers based exclusively on its
designs. In India, Zara started its operations in 2010. Ever since its debut, it has been on a
continuous rise and has crossed 500 crore milestone recently.





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2. Levi’s
Levis is an American brand founded in May 1853 by Levi Strauss. If we talk about denim shirts
and jeans, then Levis is one of the leading brands for both men and women. Shop for your
perfect fit of denim across all size.
Levis Strauss & Co uses a mix of demographic and geographic segmentation strategies to make
the different types of its offerings available in the market as per the choice of the customers. A
mix of differentiated and mass targeting strategies is used by Levis to satisfy the needs and wants
of the customer groups. Levis position itself as a comfortable and affordable apparel brand being
competitive and at the same time is value for money for customers.
Levis has adopted a cool and trendy promotional strategy for marketing their products. In order
to increase the visibility of its products the company has taken the help of active advertisement.
It has gone with the concept of off- beat commercials theatre shown in various television
channels, in newspapers, billboards and fashion magazines. The company has been introducing
new products at regular intervals like the reversible jeans that have helped them in gaining
continuous limelight.
Levis has a comprehensive and effective strategy that includes the participation of major
celebrities. In India, it has roped in Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Akshay Kumar as
its brand ambassadors. In Philippines, they have appointed six brand ambassadors of the product
including Maxine Magolona, Laulen Young, Shamcey Supsup and Venus Raj. Levis has been
using the method of competitive advertising to promote its products. Now days the brand has

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56
been going for eye catching and innovative ideas that will leave an impact and an everlasting
impression on the customer. One such ad showed Akshay Kumar opening his jeans partially in a
promotional activity at the ramp. This controversial ad became an instant hit while creating
maximum visibility for the product. Internet has also become a good promotional ground for the
Levis products as the consumers find it easy to go through the various available portals.
3. Fabindia
Fabindia is one of the largest fashion brands in India famous for the ethnic and traditional wear
for women. Not only this you can also look for the handmade accessories that would always
remind you of something “desi”. Well, Fabindia indigo collection is something you can also look
for. Marketing Mix of Fab India analyses the brand/company which covers 4Ps (Product, Price,
Place, Promotion) and explains the Fab India marketing strategy.

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4. Biba
Biba is one of the famous Indian ethnic wear ladies clothing brand in India started in the year
1988 by Meena Bindra in New Delhi. Gradually the brand became popular among the ethnic
wear audience because they are providing the products at a much-budgeted price. Biba's
Facebook Page is Named India's Most Engaged. Biba's Facebook page, with 145,000 fans,
was India's most engaged Facebook page for the month of August 2012. Biba's Facebook page
offers a channel for Biba's primarily female fan base to stay informed on the latest collections,
product news, beauty & fashion tips and celebrity styles, as well as participate in the occasional
contest.

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5. PepeJeans
Pepe Jeans has remained all time favorite fashion brand among the ladies who believe in
super quality denim collection. Not only this grabs the latest collection of casual wear and
branded tops online of all the size you have been always looking for.
6. H&M

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H&M is a Swedish brand that has already grounded its feet in the Indian market. The brand is
famous for sparkling evening outfits to casual day wear to cute accessories. If you are ready to
spend, then the brand will never disappoint you with the collection. Expanding and maintaining
financial stability are this companies two strategic objectives and as of 2008, H&M had as goals
to as much as is possible, increase and maximize sales in existing stores, and to increase the
number of new stores by an average of ten to fifteen percent every year
7. PeterEngland
Peter England has made a mark as the largest menswear brand in India. Basically, the
brand is known for its standardized fits, superior quality and wide range and fashionable
styles. Additionally, the trusted mid-segment brand comes with apparel offerings for
young men entering the corporate world.

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8. Zodiac
Zodiac has evolved into a leader in men’s fine clothing and accessories. Today, the name
represents an international symbol of modern style and time-honored standards. creativity and
dedication. Currently, the company is selling its brands through organized retail chains and more
than 1500 independent retailers. Zodiac is positioned as shirts from " Finest Quality Shirt
Makers". The core qualities of the product are the unmatched quality and the designing. Zodiac
follows the design and retail focus. The shirts which is available across the globe take fashion
cues from the west and the designers back in India puts it into the shirts.

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8. Raymond
The headquarters of Raymond Ltd is in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Actually, the company is the
largest integrated manufacturer of worsted fabric in the world. Also, it is India’s biggest woolen
fabrics maker. In India, the company has a distribution network of more than 4,000 multi-brand
outlets and over 637 exclusive retail shops. Additionally, the company exports the product to
over 55 countries including the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and the Middle East.
The Raymond Group is reworking its consumer products strategy to enter newer categories, and
has roped in a celebrity endorser to bump up sales of its deodorants. The textile major’s FMCG
company, JK Helene Curtis (JKHC), has signed up actor-director Farhan Akhtar to push sales of
its Park Avenue brand of deodorants

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9. Adidas
Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second largest in the world.
Actually, Adidas AG is the holding company for the Adidas Group, which consists of the
Reebok sportswear company also. Adidas uses differentiated targeting strategy to target young
adults, adults as well as children who have passion for fitness & sports. Although it targets
customers in the age group of 13-40 years but majority of its customers are of 15-30 years of age
who hail from upper middle class or the luxury class of customers. User & benefit
based positioning are the strategies Adidas uses to create distinctive image in the mind of the
prospective consumer. By emphasizing the value of quality products from a trusted brand Adidas
is able to maintain its brand essence. The portfolio is divided as follows.
 They have Adidas-performance in Competitive sports,
 Reebok & Reebok classics in Active sports & casual sports, &
 Adidas originals, Adidas Fun, Rockport in Sports fashion.

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10. Nike
Nike, Inc. is an American multinational corporation. The company deals in the design,
development, manufacturing, and worldwide marketing and sales of footwear, apparel,
equipment, accessories, and services. Actually, the company is the world’s largest manufacturer
(bysales) of athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment.
Nike uses psychographic segmentation variables to make its offerings more attractive to
the target customers. It uses separate campaign or strategy to cap the market potential of the
different segments.
Targeting is the important aspect of the marketing strategy, especially when a company is in
different businesses. Being present in footwear, sports equipment, clothing and many others Nike
uses differentiated targeting strategy.
Product and usage-based positioning are used by Nike to create the image in mind of the
consumers.

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Data Analysis and Interpretation -
The ratio of male and female who took the survey is 35:35 respectively.
When asked about being consious while chosing an apparel 90% of them said Yes, 8.6%
said No while 1.4% said Maybe. Thus implicating that many are aware whether they are
brand conscious.

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More than 78.3% of the People said that they are willing to spend more in order to acquire their
desired apparel brand. While 14.5% of them refused to spend more in order to acquire a brand.
7.2% of them said maybe, it depends of situation like quality, brand, price difference etc.

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It was found that 87.1% were more attracted and aware of Levis, 80% towards Puma and
Raymond beings at 10% due to their branding strategies.

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This question was asked in order to find out the most efficient way to communicate a brand to its
customers. The survey showed that Internet plays a big role in making the consumer aware about
that particular brand. s

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Purchasing branded clothes are influenced by many factors while according to the survey
advertisement plays about 35% of influencing role, friends play 27.1%, and while it shows that
only 37.1% of personal reasons affects someone to purchase a branded apparel.
Building a brand image not only can be achieved by advertising, good service, promotional
campaigns etc. It was seen the survey that more than 49.3% of people think that promotional
campaign and 43.5% thinks that the quality of a product should be good in order to create a good
image in the mind of the public.

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About 70% of people said that they are loyal towards a particular brand. While 18.6% were not
sure. Rest 11.4% are still confused.
This represents that a company should always thrive to acquire the trust of their customers, since
most of them stick to a particular brand if they like them.

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This question was asked in order to see that whether the Nike’s swoosh sign on the t-shirt makes
a difference in consumers mind while purchasing the t-shirt. The two t-shirts are same in terms
of appearance and design while the only difference is of the brand logo on the chest of the t-shirt.
The answers were surprising since about 57.4% of surveyors said that they would purchase the
T-shirt ”B”. Thus many of them contradicting their earlier statement that they were not brand
conscious. Thus it could be deduced from the survey that branding plays a vital role in a fashion
product.

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