A research submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration, School of Management

Research Studies Project Report (M.B.A.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2005

Brand equity is a valuable asset of a company. The Body Shop brand is well known for corporate social responsibility and is building its brand based on this value. The Body Shop brand is well accepted by consumers in Thailand, however the notion about the brand may not be very sensible or relevant to those who know what the product is really like. The image of a product associated with the brand all contribute to the customer's decision. But they may have different brand knowledge and/or perceive the brand differently form what the company is projecting. It is interesting to learn how customers perceive the brand image and whether that brand knowledge influences the purchasing decisions. This research aims to gather information and analyze whether the customers have the brand awareness and associate the brand to the image the brand represents. In addition, the study would like to find whether the brand association and awareness have any influences on choosing this brand and on buying decision. The information will be gathered from both the franchisee and the customers' sides. The study focuses on The Body Shop Thailand. Results indicate that what consumers can associate with the brands can have high influence in their purchasing decisions. It is also clear that consumers who are regular customers have more knowledge and understanding about the brand's core value and corporate social responsibility. However being active in the society as social activist does not influence Thai consumers. Consumers are more interested in core product benefits. To leverage the brand in the market, the company needs to communicate more about its product benefits, then relating the tangible benefits to the company's core values. This will encourage positive attitude, right associations, strong brand equity, and finally lead increase sales revenue.