INFLUENCE OF FEMVERTISING ON BRAND IMAGE AND BUYING BEHAVIOUR: AN EXPLORATION OF CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDE REGARDING BRANDS PURSUING BRAND ACTIVISM THROUGH

Book excerpt: Due to the competitive environment of today’s marketplace, companies use brands as strategic differentiators in order to attract consumers over competitors. By building a distinct brand, companies can be more proficient in connecting with their customers and their beliefs, due to the added value created by the brand. Companies need to create a strong brand image, which is consistent and in line with the expectations of the consumers. As consumers are showing more loyalty towards brands that go beyond providing them with a mere product and/or service, the concept of brand activism has become an emerging trend, where brands declare their political standpoint The past decade has seen the rise of women empowerment as a predominant theme in advertising in India. While these advertisements celebrate and emancipate womanhood and encourage a progressive mentality in the Indian society, there is a scarcity of factual research for the marketing implications of these advertisements, in contrast to regular advertisements. Moreover, it will also try to shed light on how men view such advertisement and whether femvertising is contributing to alter the traditional Indian mindsets.