1. Branding perspective to service business
research
Dr. Saila Saraniemi
Doctoral Student Minna Mäläskä

2. What is a brand?
• “Brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, design or a
combination of them” (Kotler 1999)
• “A cluster of functional and emotional values, which
promises a particular experience.” (de Chernatony
2002)
• “The sum of total company values as evidenced by
how they deliver on those values, at every point of
contact.” (Alder 2010)

3. Evolving brand logic
Features Benefits Experience Identification
1900-1930 1930-1990 1990-2000 2000 -
Individual Value- Relationship- Stakeholder-
Goods-Focus Focus Focus Brand Focus Brand
Brand Era Brand Era Era Era
(adapted from Mertz et al. 2009)

4. Why branding in service sector?
• The strong growth of the service sector (Mitchell
1998),
• Intensified competition within it (Berry 2000),
• The shortening of the service lifecycle, and the
imitability of services have directed researchers’ and
practitioners’ attention to branding (King 1991).
Sandbacka, Nätti, Tähtinen, Journal
of Services Marketing, Vol. 27 No 2,
forthcoming

5. Characteristics of service branding
• The rise of the corporate brand has to a large extent
been linked to the rise of the service industry
1. The importance of internal perspective of branding
2. The importance of networks

6. 1. The importance of internal perspective of
branding
• Employee branding – internalising brand
image and “living the brand”
• Internal branding
• According to KONE brand promise:
”Every KONE employee is dedicated
to making cities better places to live and work
for everyone. They are committed to ensuring
our products and services provide the best
People Flow experience for customers and end
users.”

7. 2. The importance of networks
Maintenance End Customers
services
End Customers
Corporate
Channel
brand partner
End Customers
After sales
service Logistic
provider services
Brand creation through business network

8. Network actors’ participation in B2B SME
branding
Mäläskä, Saraniemi,
Tähtinen, 2011,
Industrial Marketing
Management

9. Our future research topics on services
branding
• Creation of service brand experience in networks
• Growth and internationalisation of service
businesses through branding
• Defining the value co-creating branding actors
within service networks
• Impacts of digitalization on service branding

10. Thank you!
saila.saraniemi@oulu.fi
minna.malaska@oulu.fi