Brand naming strategies by small medium and micro enterprises in the eThekwini Municipal area.

Abstract

Branding is a concept in Marketing that has become synonymous with success and defines the profitability possibilities and capabilities for organisations. Due to this, corporate organisations have been known to value the process of branding to the extent of attaching financial value to their brands. Given the significance of branding for organisations, the brand naming process is one of importance, as failure to brand organisations adequately could translate as reasons for failure for organisations. Corporate organisations have known this, as such, have developed techniques to brand name their organisations for success. It is not clear however, whether or not small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) attach similar value as corporates. As such, this study seeks to examine the brand naming processes implemented by SMMEs in the eThekwini Municipality area (SA), if any exist. To do this, the study, adopted descriptive-exploratory methods, as little was known about the brand naming processes applied. Definitions and dynamics of the actual processes could thus be identified and defined. Quantitative methodologies extracted information using an instrument informed by the theory framework and its variables as found in a US study on similar research for corporate organisations. To analyse the data collected, correlation methods were applied, where it was found that the known processes as applied by corporate organisations were not necessarily applied by the eThekwini Municipal SMMEs in their brand naming process. The current status of this pertinent process can be used to advise appropriate skills development for SMMEs in the area ensuring the success of SMMEs.