Influence of brand symbols on brand Preference for consumers of Kenya breweries Limited products in Nairobi

Abstract

In recent time, many organizations have made modifications to the brand symbols used in their brands, and this has been driven by various factors, among them, the ever increasing alternatives for consumers to choose from, competition within the industry, increased consumer awareness and rapid change oftechnology. This study looked at the influence of brand symbols with a view to determine the extent to which these symbols influence brand choice. The objective ofthis study was to determine the influence of brand symbols for brand preference for consumers ofKBL products. The Research Design was a descriptive survey with a population sample of 100 respondents, who were selected from the estates, and these were as per the listings of the estates according to their income grouping. The data was collected using a semistructured questionnaire, which was personally administered. Out of 100 respondents targeted, only 86 responded, thus having 86% response rate. The data was analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation, tables and graphs. The study revealed that aspects of brand symbols like; the colour, size, positioning and texture influenced the brand preference. -. Manufacturers of beer and other soft drinks need to ensure that symbols they use in their brands are unique, understandable and persuasive. The major limitation of the study was that some respondents were not aware ofthese aspects of brand symbols. Also time could not allow gathering views from other major towns in the country. The researcher suggests that similar research should be carried out on another population preferably in a rural setting. Further, more researches can be carried out to investigate why features ofthe package and shape ofthe bottle were rated at nolless extent in influencing brand preference than other aspects considered in this study.