Communicating brand personality: are the web sites doing the talking for food SMEs?

TLDR

The study analyzes how food SMEs communicate brand personality on their websites using Aaker’s dimensions, demonstrates a low‑cost technique for testing positioning against competitors, and highlights the value of computerized content and correspondence analysis for strategic positioning. The authors employed a multistage methodology that combines content analysis of website text with correspondence analysis to map brand personality against competitors. Food SMEs can effectively communicate brand personality through their websites, revealing distinct personality types and competitor positioning, and the study demonstrates a simple, inexpensive method for SMEs to analyze this communication.

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse web site brand communication by small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the restaurant franchise industry, using Aaker's brand personality dimensions. It shows how an SME can test its intended positioning against competitors. Design/methodology/approach A multistage methodology using a combination of content analysis and correspondence analysis was used. The intention was to illustrate a technique that can be used by SMEs at low cost and with ease. Findings Food SMEs are able to communicate brand personality by way of their web sites. The brands and the personality types are presented which clearly reveals the positioning of the competitors. Practical implications This paper illustrates a powerful, but simple and relatively inexpensive way for SMEs to study communicated brand personality. Originality/value The major contribution of this study is to alert SME scholars and retailers to the potential of computerized content analysis as a means of studying web site content, and the subsequent use of correspondence analysis to understand how to position against competitors.