“How quality perceptions impact South Africa’s brand choices: A Case Study on Maxed vs. Nike”

Abstract

This small-scale qualitative research was conducted with the aim to get a better understanding of how quality perceptions influence the brands that South Africans choose. Using theoretical lenses such as Xenocentrism (Kent and Burnbright, 1951), Aaker’s Model of Brand Equity (1996) and Symbolic Interactionism (Mead, 1934), the Mr. Price Sport brand, Maxed and Nike were used to draw comparisons between the local and global branding practices respectively, and how these impacted consumer perceptions. The main focus of the research was on the Maxed branded running shoe as the brand has gained a reputation for being “cheap” and “bad quality”. The research explored consumer perceptions through the use of qualitative research tools such as interviews, questionnaire observations with a total sample of 35 South African consumers. The themes were extracted from the data and analysed using qualitative content analysis methods such as a conversational analysis, multimodal analysis and discourse analysis.What was found was that even though product perceptions improved, South Africans did not resonate with the Maxed brand due to its association with affordability and sports. The brand also still needed to work on the quality and design of the shoes and associate itself with non-sportsmen.