A study on determining the important factors which effect follow-on milk preference and investigating the brand personalities of market leaders

Nowadays it has become much more difficult to survive in different markets and economies because of the rapid developments in technology and society. Companies that could become distinctive with the help of popular products were able to survive in the challenging market and get into new markets easily. This study deals with brand concept, brand management and the process of consumers purchasing the goods. In the last part a research was conducted via focus group and survey in order to understand the factors that effect the choice of mothers with babies aged between 0-3 on follow-on milk. Consumers who live in İstanbul and choose follow-on milk and pediatricians who recommend follow-on milk formed the main part of the research. Because of time and financial restrictions convienence sampling method was used in the study. Data were collected with the method of face to face surveying. As a result of the survey it was clear that the first choice of mothers and doctors was X. The second choice of mothers was Y and the second choice of doctors was Z. When the characteristics of the brands were observed X was chosen because of its selectiveness, sincerity and toughness but Y was chosen because of sincerity and appealing respectively. As a result of the study in every elements of brand personality of X was superior to Y but only one. It was observed that Y was more feminine than X. It was observed that doctors give more importance to product variety, easy use of the produtcs, the package of the product, if the product is an innovator brand and its similarity to mother milk than others. But mothers give importance to organic products, discounts of the brand and the customer services of the brand. When education is considered mothers who graduated from secondary school give more importance to accountability of the brand and discounts more than mother who graduated from university. Key Words: Brand, Brand Personality, Brand Choice