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BRAND EXPERIENCE

New approach may help companies retain sports-brand consumers

By our News Team | 2022

When marketing sports products, brand experience may not increase satisfaction, but it can alleviate or eliminate uncertainty.

Amid the global pandemic, an increasing number of people turned to golf for a socially distanced outdoor activity. With new consumers coming on board in large numbers, growing a loyal customer base largely relies on brand managers understanding brand experience. 

Mi Ryoung Chung, a professor at Florida International University, and Jon Welty Peachey from the University of Illinois – both US-based academic institutions – recently led a study examining the relationship between brand experience and customer satisfaction for golf club products.

Brand Experience

Photo by Jopwell from Pexels

“Brand experience has been looked at a lot, but not much in sports,” said Chung, a former professional golfer from South Korea, who points out this is one of the first brand studies of its kind for sports products. “People who play sports; it affects them differently,” he observes.

The researchers collected responses from almost 400 golfers. The results revealed that experiencing one brand can influence a golfer’s uncertainty toward other brands. However, that does not translate into satisfaction or loyalty to the brand they experienced. 

Golfers buck the usual brand experience trends

Previous research suggests brand experience should influence satisfaction and loyalty, but when it comes to golf products, the researchers say golfers seem to buck that trend.

The findings are significant for sports marketing practitioners, as the study explores an alternative marketing approach for brand differentiation that has the potential to attract and retain more customers. In the case of golf products, while brand experience may not increase satisfaction, it can alleviate or eliminate uncertainty.

“The less uncertainty you have toward a brand, you will tend to be more inclined to buy that brand over time,” Chung said. “It was interesting to find that even if you try a product, it doesn’t lead to satisfaction.”

There is a need for more research on sports products, according to Chung. Future research should therefore be conducted to understand the consequences of brand experience in the sports context.

This study, entitled The influence of brand experience on satisfaction, uncertainty and brand loyalty: a focus on the golf club industry, was published in the academic journal Sport, Business and Management. You can find out more here.

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Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

  • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
  • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
  • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
  • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.