Applying Ingredient Branding Strategy to Improve Competitiveness in Service Systems

Abstract

Intangibility is one of the main characteristics of services that create difficulties for users in perceived expectations of service. This viewpoint paper aims to highlight the role played by Ingredient Branding (IB) a strategy implemented to make service more effective. Thus, the paper focuses on the role IB plays in shaping the strategic communications. Starting from a literature review on Service Dominant Logic, Service Science Management Engineering + Design, Strategic Communication and IB, the role of this activity is studied within the service systems context. Then, in order to reach the goal of the paper, secondary sources were exploited generating qualitative data: illustrative examples show the practical use of IB strategies in the service systems. The main implication of the paper lies on the analysis of the important strategic work implemented by the members of the dominant coalition. The paper identifies two different IB strategies: “necessary” and “optional”. It shows that there are links between service levels (expected-core service or extended-supplementary service) and IB strategies. By dealing with these links effectively, it appears that IB is a strengthening strategy that could offer distinct competitive advantage in service systems, promote the value proposition and encourage the value co-creation.

Keywords: value proposition and value co-creation, ingredient branding, service branding, co-branding, service systems competitiveness

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100291