As Internet usage grows, brands are becoming even more important than they have been in other channels or environments. With more choices from many unknown providers, customers tend to choose a provider that represents a set of Values or attributes that are meaningful, clear and trusted. Breakenridge (2001:323) states that the strength of the brand together with technology has the potential to produce the "optimum brand". Pettis notes that branding has become much more important recently because of the proliferation of choice that's available to customers on the Internet. It is also important to note that branding is a critical component of the building long-term relationship on the Web. Mohammed et al suggest that, rather than viewing branding as a sub component of the product, it must be developed as moderating variable upon the elements of the marketing mix. Mohammed et al explain that branding plays two roles in marketing activities. Marketing programmes affect how consumers perceive the brand, and hence its value. Second, branding is part of every marketing strategy. That is each marketing activity is enhanced if the brand is strong, or suppressed if the brand is weak. Therefore, branding is unique insofar it is both lever and an outcome of marketing actions.
By putting more information in the hands of consumers, digital technology might be expected to undermine the power of brands. Many said that the Internet would do away with the need for brands. This argument according to Bergstrom (2000:11) suggested that because people could examine and access any product or services from every possible provider via the Internet, the brand would be irrelevant, since consumers would always choose the one with the lowest price. Whether decisions are solely base on price is questionable? A few years after Bergstrom's research, Rowley (2004b:131)) confirms that the notion of relying less on brands in the online environment still exists. The research further points out that since customers will gather detailed information on products and services and make their own judgment on the suitability of a product, brands can become superfluous. Both Bergstrom (2001:1) and Rowley (2004b:131), however, point out that over time it was proved that brands are even more important in cyberspace than they are in most other channels of environments. The reason: " With more and more choices from many providers that are relatively unknown, customers tend to choose a provider they know--one that represents a set of values or attributes that are meaningful, clear, and trusted (a brand), especially if they cannot see or confirm that the provider is 'real'. "With many options to choose from and fewer personal relationship online, customers tend to turn to trusted and trustworthy brands that represent more intangible qualities. This was also the observation of Wind & Mahajan (2001: 12) who during the above period pointed out that as digital technology transcends national borders, companies need to pay more attention to the development of global brands. Breakenridge (2001:319) also warned that one must not underestimate the power of a well-known brand combined with a medium that enables it to reach audiences instantaneously, enhance user experience with engaging interaction ( prior to any purchase of a product or service), and increase overall awareness, allowing brands to reach new heights. Online Brands, according to Pettis (1995:209), delves into the depths of brands to a greater degree than most offline methods. Mohr (2001:287) argues that the growth of popular Internet companies shows that a brand can grow and secure customer loyalty on the Internet. It is also a fact that brands are what people can rely on, and hence become even more important in an environment, such as the Internet, that has a low switching cost (The Economist, 1999:71). For some the idea of customer loyalty may seem outdated in the era of the Internet, where customers have the ability, to search and evaluate competing products at the click of a button (Calrke, 2001:160), However, the very fact that customers can so easily access alternatives, and then just as easily purchasing them, augments the importance of building strong ties of loyalty with online customers.
The Internet seems to be a marketing frontiers, in which tried and true models of advertising and marketing may not work in the same way traditional media.However, the reality is that emotional, fuzzy branding components that can be powerfully conveyed through television are not so easily conveyed in an online environment (Mohr 2001:287). It must be kept in mind that customers in a physical world can touch or feel products, but online customers do not enjoy the same level of sensory intake provided by online brands. Therefore, things such as speed and response time also play an important role. Online branding, for this reason, requires a credible and relevant promise with every interaction (Siegel & Zolli, 1999:50)
The opportunity are enormous for well-positioned brands on the Internet, since the potential audience for a product or service grows daily. it is however, important according Bergstrom (2000:12) to realise that branding on the Internet, if done correctly, can help to determine the difference between the winners and the losers. Despite the obvious advantage, many companies are likely to make some common mistakes in relation to their brands in Cyberland. They may for instance wrongly assume that their brands will have some appeal to Internet users as to traditional channel users, losing sight of the fact that Internet, users do have significant attitudinal differences.
The Internet seems to be a marketing frontiers, in which tried and true models of advertising and marketing may not work in the same way traditional media.However, the reality is that emotional, fuzzy branding components that can be powerfully conveyed through television are not so easily conveyed in an online environment (Mohr 2001:287). It must be kept in mind that customers in a physical world can touch or feel products, but online customers do not enjoy the same level of sensory intake provided by online brands. Therefore, things such as speed and response time also play an important role. Online branding, for this reason, requires a credible and relevant promise with every interaction (Siegel & Zolli, 1999:50)
The opportunity are enormous for well-positioned brands on the Internet, since the potential audience for a product or service grows daily. it is however, important according Bergstrom (2000:12) to realise that branding on the Internet, if done correctly, can help to determine the difference between the winners and the losers. Despite the obvious advantage, many companies are likely to make some common mistakes in relation to their brands in Cyberland. They may for instance wrongly assume that their brands will have some appeal to Internet users as to traditional channel users, losing sight of the fact that Internet, users do have significant attitudinal differences.
