Phát triển thương hiệu các sản phẩm đặc sản địa phương trong nỗ lực bảo vệ thị trường trong nước

Nội dung text: Phát triển thương hiệu các sản phẩm đặc sản địa phương trong nỗ lực bảo vệ thị trường trong nước

1. DEVELOPMENT BRAND OF LOCAL SPECIALTIES IN EFFORT TO PROTECT DOMESTIC MARKET PHÁT TRIỂN THƯƠNG HIỆU CÁC SẢN PHẨM ĐẶC SẢN ĐỊA PHƯƠNG TRONG NỖ LỰC BẢO VỆ THỊ TRƯỜNG TRONG NƯỚC Assoc Prof. Nguyen Quoc Thinh MBA Nguyen Thi Van Quynh Thuongmai University Abstract In a scenario that world protectionism is increasing and before pressures from opening commitments from new edition FTA, to protect and develop domestic market, brand development for local specialties has been concerned for years; however, there are many limitations raised from the awareness and efforts of the community. From the perspective that brand is reputation, prestige and trust in product, product line or product group, brand development needs to focus not only on improving the product but also the courage to enhance brand and product awareness, to increase perceived values about the brand from customers. Therefore, increasing their loyalty to the brand. Local specialty brands belong to community, associate in community. Therefore, it is necessary to find a proper model based on community resources. The article analyzed and implied considerations derived directly from brand approached by customers, thereby to emphasize both the efforts of the brand owner and the feelings from customers when discussing about development of branded specialties. As a result, despite great efforts, branded specialties have not yet set a place in customers' mind. Some proposals suggested in this article in order to develop branded specialties. Hopefully to be applied in different provinces/cities, to improve the image and reputation of branded specialties in many localities. Keywords: Brand development; Local specialty; Collective brand; Certification brand; Geographical indication Tóm tắt Trong bối cảnh bảo hộ thương mại trên thế giới đang ngày càng gia tăng và trước sức ép từ những cam kết mở cửa từ các Hiệp định thương mại thế hệ mới, để bảo vệ và phát triển thị trường trong nước, vấn đề phát triển thương hiệu sản phẩm đặc sản địa phương được quan tâm từ nhiều năm nay, song còn nhiều hạn chế xuất phát từ nhận thức và sự nỗ lực của cộng đồng. Với tiếp cận thương hiệu là danh tiếng, uy tín và lòng tin của công chúng đối với một sản phẩm, dòng hay nhóm sản phẩm thì việc phát triển thương hiệu cần tập trung không chỉ cho hoàn thiện sản phẩm mà rất cần đến những nỗ lực để nâng cao nhận thức về thương hiệu và sản phẩm, gia tăng những giá trị cảm nhận của khách hàng về thương hiệu, từ đó trung thành với thương hiệu. Thương hiệu đặc sản là của cộng đồng, phải trực tiếp gắn với cộng đồng. Vì thế cần tìm ra mô hình hợp lý để phát triển nó dựa trên các nguồn lực cộng đồng. 998
2. Bài viết phân tích và đưa ra những nhận định xuất phát từ tiếp cận thương hiệu dựa trên khách hàng, để từ đó nhấn mạnh cả đến những nỗ lực từ phía chủ sở hữu thương hiệu và những cảm nhận từ phía khách hàng khi bàn đến vấn đề phát triển thương hiệu sản phẩm đặc sản. Kết quả đã chỉ ra rằng dù rất cố gắng, song thương hiệu các sản phẩm đặc sản địa phương vẫn chưa có được chỗ đứng vững trong tâm trí khách hàng. Một số gợi ý để phát triển thương hiệu đặc sản được đề xuất, hy vọng sẽ có thể được áp dụng tại các tỉnh/thành phố để cải thiện hình ảnh và danh tiếng của các sản phẩm đặc sản ở nhiều địa phương. Từ khóa: Phát triể ệ ặc sả ị ệu tập thể ệu chứng nhận; Chỉ dẫ ịa lý. 1. Introduction Brand development for products are being promptly conducted in many provinces in the whole country. Depending on some conditions and distinct features of the local as well as the products, so that different models can be chosen based on settings and geographical indications or setting up collective trademarks or certification trademarks. Locally, brand development activities only seem to focus on intellectual property registration and operate via communication by introducing about the products in a short time related to its trend. Local participation in the progress of brand development is not high enough, commercial fraud situation, wrong origin of products, low quality local specialty products. All of them, are ruining image of branded specialties. According to brand based customer, it can be seen as both strategic thinking and reality operation, brand development does not only stop at completing products and brand identity but also needs focusing on improving perceived values and brand awareness; therefore, maintaining and increasing customer’s loyalty. This article does not generally mention all the issues in brand development and products in particular but strongly emphasizes the evaluation from direct subjects of brand; considerations from customers in order to propose better solutions for brand development of local specialties. General analytical method and descriptive statistics used in the article alongsides with primary and secondary data. Primary data collected: - Direct interviews with 30 manufactures, among them: 8 tea manufactures in Moc Chau (Son La); 10 tea manufactures in Tan Cuong (Thai Nguyen) and 12 lychee manufactures in Thanh Ha (Hai Duong) from July to September 2019. - Surveyed with 210 customers (people who always consume different kinds of fruit) in Ha Noi and Nghe An, from October to November 2019. 2. Contents of brand development 2.1. Approach about brand Brand is not simply recognized as signs and to distinguish products but more important, it is approached as signs (intuition and feeling), values that a product, an 999
3. organization as well as local, even an individual brings to a related subject (for example customers, partners, organization members, etc. other subjects). From the perspective of a product, brand is “one or group of all signs to identify and distinguish product, business; is an image of product and business in customers’mind and the public” (Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh, 2018, p.15). Beisdes the intuition sign (able to see, hear, touch, etc.) also feelings, association, images and impressions stored in customers’mind and the public. Images and impressions on the product and the business are the most important to pull customers and public closer to products; accordingly, to create added value and strongly impact to behaviors, consumption decisions as well as loyalty towards products of one business. Following authors (Aaker, 1991) and (Keller, 2007) implied that brand needs the approach based on customers instead of only viewing from financial perspectives. Therefore, to let a brand exist and develop, attract the attention and impact on customer’s behavior, it is necessary to invest not only the efforts on perfecting the product, completing brand identity but importantly all the efforts for internal & external communication (for example product supplement, communication with community, communication activities, brand protection, etc.). Thus, creating perceived values and friendliness, strong association as well as increasing loyalty to the brand. Brand can be seen from two groups: efforts from the business and customers’ feeling (Figure 1) Figure 1: Brand based on customer’s perspective Efforts from business Customer’s feeling Perfect the Internal Perceived values product communicatio n Brand Associations Complete External brand communicatio Brand loyalty identity n Source: Nguyen Quoc Thinh, 2019, 16 As can be seen from this model. All the activities on building and improving brand need measuring in order to create values that customers can perceive; accordingly, to form strong association and to be loyal to the brand and branded products. Efforts from the business can bring good feeling about products; in return good feelings about product can create reasonable judgements and achievements for business. 2.1.2. Brand development contents From this point of view, brand development essentially is the development of brand equity (Aaker, 1991) and is understood as "group of activities to increase strength and general ability, impacts of brand towards customers’ mind and behavior as well as of the public" (Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh, 2018, 219). Clearly, brand development was not only implied via communcation activities in which raising public’s awareness about the brand, 1000
4. additionally not only the product advertisement but all the activities applied towards products, business cultures, comunication, architecture and protection of a brand, ect. Especially, these activities need to fulfill customers’ feeling; hopefully, will be a change in customer’s behavior when facing a product and a brand. Whereas brand equity can be approached (particular independence) via 3 angles: Financial based brand equity (FBBE) which means based on the monetary value of a brand; Employee based brand equity (EBBE) means feelings and efforts of employees; Customer based brand equity (CBBE) means the feelings of customers. Brand development can be seen either one of three angles or all three angles (Keller, 2007). All the activities to develop brand can be focused on following contents: Raising brand awareness; Improving brand perceived values; Increasing general ability and control of a brand; Expanding financial values for a brand (Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh, 2018). - Raising brand awareness is the activities towards increasing customers’ awareness about a brand and branded product, in which firstly raising the knowledge then raising the understanding of customer about the brand via many communication tools. The knowledge of a brand is the lowest level in awareness of customer about the brand. Communication activities at different scope and level are strictly used and operated both internal and external. Nevertheless, the important in communication to increase awareness is to share the core values, in which a brand as well as benefits and values that customers can perceive through branded products, impressions and images that customers can save in their minds. It does not simply remind them that there is a brand. - Improving brand perceived values will be applied through completing and improving product quality, maintaining and improving indivual values of customers, therefore, customers can have higher perceived value when connecting with a brand and consuming. Targeting appropriate brand is based on differences and core values, distinctive feaures of product, which needs consideration in order to develop brand perceived values. Besides, communication activities need selective focus to increase image and association towards the brand, instead of only focusing on product advertisement. Improving brand perceived value is not business-self effort in completing the products but also needs affirmation of third parties (for example, cultivation process; certified quality; origin identification; distribution system, etc.) especially affirmation from customer experience. - Increasing general ability and control of a brand includes renewing and expanding the brand in different groups as well as forming sub-brands, new brands for different kinds of product; therefore increasing the general ability of a brand on the displays to customers. Alongsides, renewal activities; research and development (R&D) for new products, in which create more competitive advantages, sooner can absolutely be controlled on targeted market segment. Expanding brand for different product segments will help customers to feel more about individual values. - Brand based financial value will be improved when a busines operated the awareness, increased perceived value and general ability, control of the brand. However, 1001
5. expand brand financial value can be operated directly and in purpose via conncetion activities, joint venture, franchise and cooperation as well as transition of intellectual equity for different targets. At different scope and level (in business or business group or industry, province, nation) then the contents of brand development will be applied and operated in different ways. 3. Local specialty and levels of brand development There was not a coherence approach on local specialties. Under circumstances, knowledge about local specialties still had relative differences. Generally, different approaches still have some common about products called specialty: specific about geography where the product produced (some products have specialty in its pedology, climate etc.), differences (superior) product quality and tradtional knowledge (experience, producer skill). Author (Lưu Đức Thanh, 2019) implied “Specialty is the product with its origin from a local, province, specific geographic area, has specific features about complexion, quality which is not similar to another product of the same kind and these features mainly gifted by the nature, local people who process and produce the product”. This article, firstly approach the term “local specialty” from the angle through agricultural products, mostly are grains, seeds, vegetables, fruits, poultry, cattle and other products produced from them. Hence, specialty is product produced from specific location, have difference (superior) about quality comparing to those of the same kind at different locations; with difference about geographic factors and local traditional knowledge. Specialty products usually include community factor (not only one person created it); therefore, reputation and image, prestige of product depend mainly on participation of community. Specialty is also controlled and affected by many impacts from global warming and pressures from increasing extreme production. Therefore, building and maintaining, developing reputation for specialty products usually request simultaneous efforts from many parties, the control with all procedures of production, supply and trade. Brand building and development for local specialty products (from another perspective is considered as community brand), often mentioned and associated with strategic orientation of collective brand, certification brand and geographical indication brand; alongside with particular brands of owners. Figure 2 clearly pointed out the level of brand development in general and associated with local specialty products in particular. At business level, the subjects carry out brand development activities are business owners; whereas at business/industry group, the subjects might be related collective organization; at local/national level then the subjects are local/national authorities. 1002
6. Figure 2: Levels of brand building and development Business level - Product brand - Business brand Business/Industry group level - Trade village collective brand - Certification brand - Association collective brand - Geography indication brand Local/National level - Local brand - National brand Source: Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh, 2019, 15 Brand building and development for local specialty products (from another perspective is considered as community brand), often mentioned and associated with strategic orientation of collective brand, certification brand and geographical indication brand; alongside with particular brands of owners. Figure 2 clearly pointed out the level of brand development in general and associated with local specialty products in particular. At business level, the subjects carried out brand development activities are business owners; whereas at business/industry group, the subjects related to collective organization; at local/national level then the subjects are local/national authorities. At business level, brand development for product can be chosen (for specific category or product group) or business brand (general brand for business). At business group level, trade village brand is collective brand (joint ownership) of different owners in a trade village (especially traditional trade village) (Chính phủ, 2018). Besides, development of collective brand for trade village (subject who participates is not limited about geographical space) or collective brand model brings/connects with geographical indication (subject who participates is limited about geographic area with the production of the product) is popularly applied. With community features of local specialty (which mean same specialty products have simultaneous many manufactures); therefore, there are always conflicts about community benefits and individual subject if there is no relevant brand development model. All subjects need to cooperate in order to increase reputation for the product as well as direct competition in each segment. Accordingly, multi-brands model (brand development for individual business/manufacture as well as collective brand development/ or simultaneous collective factors) is absolutely operated and always effective comparing to the model of brand development of individual business/manufacture. Collective brand development (trade village or organization or geography indication) or certification brand, if well operated, in fact will be an important affirmation about origin and prestige, reputation of specialty products. 1003
7. 4. Situation of brand development for Vietnamese local specialty products 4.1. Situation of intellectual property registration for branded local specialty products Based on the fact that features of local specialty products always have high community features, therefore brand development activities hardly separated from community owner model, or with community participation during its development. Multi- brands model is always chosen, but besides each business/manufacture builds their own brand (product brand or business brand) then general brand always exists as a certain guarantee for individual brand and this general brand absolutely exploits geographical indication of products such as local name (village, commune, suburban province, province). Intellectual property registration sets a legal foundation for local specialty product brand development; besides businesses/manufactures actively process followed guidance of regular brand registration (individual brand of business/manufacture). There are three options for registration of general brand included: geographical indication registration, collective brand registration and certification brand registration. Essentially, the registration of geographical indication or collective brand, certification brand is just the beginning of setting the right (to own and exploit) legally from related parties. An important problem is trade development and increase value for products which carry geographical indication, collective brand and certification brand. This problem can be approached through the angle of economic - collective brand, certification brand. - Registration for geographical indication is quite complicated and difficult to process, derived from strict requests of affirmation process and legal laws related to owner of geographical indication. According to the current law, owner of geographical indication is government; therefore, government authorities will make registration (Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture and rural development, Province committee, Suburban province/commune committee, etc.); whereas management subjects are usually collective organization, subjects participated in deploitation are authorized manufactures; hence, there are many conflicts about benefits. According to Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (unitl 31 October, 2019), there are 70 geographical indications in Vietnam have certifications. Except those products such as: grilled squid, mud clam, shrimp paste, sipunculus considred as seafood, the rest of geographical indications are local agricultural products. There are 41 provinces/cities have certified geographical indication, in which some locals have many products which were certified geographical indication, namely: Ha Giang - 5 products, Quang Ninh & Thanh Hoa - 4 products, Son La - 3 products, 13 provinces have 2 products. - Registration for collective brand will be represented by an organization (usually co- operative organization, organization, association, etc.) which will make registration, build management principles for collective brand. According to Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam, until the end of October 2019, there were 936 certification for collective brand, especially agricultural products known as specialties, Hai Phong is one of the city which has the most of collective brands (54 brands), Ha Noi (64 brands), Tien Giang (39 brands). 1004
8. Registration of collective brand is simpler comparing to registration of geographical indication brand both about the process and time. Therefore, this solution is mainly popular. Because the general scope and participation of subjects are based on a narrower collective brand registration, mostly at suburban province level (nearly 68%) therefore its flexibility is pretty high, the chance to approach and control participants much easier. However, due to narrow scope with specific restrictions from participants as well as collective management control, in many cases there are still many limitations and ability to approach and develop a proper market for specialty products. - Certification brand will be a qualified organization/individual (according to legal laws) who will make the registration and authorize the use, exploitation for related organizations or individuals who want to use. To control certification brand, the owner has to build a set of principles about product quality, production procedure and other related conditions. Whenever, all subjects are qualified all the requirements in the principles, certification brand are allowed to use for their own products. With strict ties with certification brand, in fact, not many manufactures in geographic area which has specialty can participate and exploit certification brand, in order to develop brand for their own products. In Vietnam, the subject who can register the certification brand mostly Committees or specialized authority of Committees which are qualified to register certification brand. In fact, among 270 registered certification brands, there are about 192 certification brands belong to Committees or Economic Office (or Agricultural & Rural Development office), 38 certification brands belong to department, the rest of 40 certification brands belong to office, centre or different owners. However, surveyed of 210 people (from October, November 2019 in Ha Noi & Nghe An), there was only 2,85% (6 people) know and care about branded specialty which is registedred as geography indication or collective brand or certification brand. Therefore, registration followed by which intellectual property object and which model to develop brand for speicalty is not the important thing for customers, the most important is how to make them trust about quality and origin of branded products. 4.2. Situation of communication activities in order to raise awareness about branded local specialty products Communication activites in order to raise brand awareness for local specialty products has been focused, especially strongly increase from 2016 until now at both local and national level. At national level, National Brand Programme (Vietnam Value) and programme National Key Trade operate supportive activities from businesses and industry in building brand for potential products such as Handicrafts brand - Vietcraft Exellence (closely related to trade village), Food brand Vietnam programme - Food of Vietnam (direcly related to certification brand, collective brand). Vietnam Rice brand - Vietnam Rice also are being simultaneously operated based on approach of one national certified brand. Programme Support intellectual equity for business (Decision 68/2005/QD-TTg 4 1005
9. April, 2005), during the period 2016-2020 focused on diferent projects related to local intellectual equity, which emphasized to develop & trade exploitation of geographical indication, collective trademark and certification trademark for local products. At this stage, there are almost 100 projects have been operated to build the intellectual rights and brand development for local specialty in many provinces, cities in whole country. The program One Commune One Product of Vietnam (OCOP) was conducted from 2016, therefore focused on completion and trade development for local products, solve the livelihood problem and developed the potential of local products. Many branded local products have been created and strongly developed in many areas domestically and abroad. Many communication programs, trade fairs, product diplay models and brand were organized periodically at many different locations domestically and abroad, in order to advert about the Vietnamese branded products in general and especially local specialty in particular. At local level, mostly they have orientations, decisions, and programs for brand development of potential products. Typically, some provinces such as Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Long An, Binh Thuan, Hai Phong, Dien Bien, Son La, Bac Giang, Ca Mau, An Giang, etc. with programs about trade village brand development, agricultural brand and handicrafts brand. Some projects received very good result, created a clear image domestically and abroad such as Luc Ngan lychee, Yen The hill chicken (Bac Giang), Song Ma longan; Yen Chau mango, Moc Chau Shan tuyet tea (Son La); dragonfruit (Binh Thuan); Lo Ren Star apple; Hoa Loc mango (Tien Giang); Phu Quoc fishsauce (Kien Giang), etc. Almost all locals strongly operated communication programs for local specialty such as advertisement via website, sales points, many events like Fruit festival, local specialty, Local specialty week, etc. Besides, they actively promoted their brands via social media and their sales point as well as department stores, supermarkets and convenient stores. These activities increased customer’s awareness about the branded products; therefore, brought higher value for specialty products. According to author (Lưu Đức Thanh, 2019), with activities for brand development, particularly raising awareness about brand, specialy products which have been in better sales, bring more benefits for manufactures and community, for example: Cao Phong orange doubled the price, Dai Hoang banana increased 100-130%, Phuc Trach grapefruit increased 10-15%, especially Luan Van grapefruit increased 3,5 times than before being registered. However, the result from communication activities improve awareness about the brand for local specialty; still there were some limitations such as lack of variations about methods and tools. Awareness of community about local specialty brands were still not high. As a result, from the author’s suvey of 210 people (those who alsways use different kinds of fruits) in Ha Noi and Nghe An during the time of October & November 2019 showed: 80/210 people (38%) normally knew about the brand from internet (Facebook, 1006
10. Zalo); 55/210 people (26.2%) knew through advertisement on TV; 38/210 (18.1%) knew via trade fairs; exhibiton; 33/210 people (15.7%) knew through sale points; 71/210 people (33.8%) knew through recommendation from acquantainces (through different channels). As a consequence, level of awareness toward the brand was not high enough, which means communication activities were not yet wide enough. As can be seen from the author then mostly, communication activites were still mainly limited at local level, following low frequency season. The survey also focused to find out about evaluation of customers with communication message about local specialty brand (directly with Cao Phong orange and Luc Ngan lychee), the result recorded in Table 1. From Table 1, even though communication activities for both products had a significant focus on differences and superior features of product and fairly, details about origin of product; however, attractiveness about advertisement image and level of details about usage, benefits of product was still careless. The bond between individual brand and collective brand has been focused to exploit the image of local products and created competitive advantages, but still at average level. Table 1: Evaluation about media activities between Cao Phong orange and Luc Ngan lychee * Evaluation about message and Evaluation points ( / ) TT method 1 2 3 4 5 Total Average 1 Attractiveness of advertisement 12/ 34/ 16/ 2/ 6/ 70/ 2,37/ image 9 27 22 7 0 65 2,42 2 Detail about usage, features 9/11 23/31 17/22 20/1 1/0 70/65 2,73/2,20 3 Clearliness about origin 0/1 9/6 33/42 28/16 0/0 70/65 3,27/3,12 4 Superior differences about 3/ 19/ 22/ 11/ 15/ 70/ 3,22/ quality 6 9 31 17 2 65 3,00 5 Connection of business brand 3/ 11/ 33/ 17/ 6/ 70/ 3,17/ with collective brand 4 12 34 11 4 65 2,98 6 Varietion of media activities 15/8 21/9 11/28 3/11 20/9 70/65 2,88/3,06 * Level 1 is lowest and level 5 is highest. Figures for Cao Phong orange Figures for Luc Ngan lychee Source: Author’s survey with 210 people in Ha Noi, Nghe An from October, November 2019 (number of answered for Cao Phong orange is 70, Luc Ngan lychee is 65. 4.3. Activities in improving perceived value for brand According to the figure (Lưu Đức Thanh, 2019), almost geographical indication, collective brand, certification brand that have been certified all included local name such as Vietnam, provinces/cities, communes or particular places (Table 2). The registration for brand with local name (where has the specialty) is the significant thing to a). Clear information about origin b). Affirmation for customer to justify about superior features and c). Create a specific condition to control products during supply, distribution. 1007
11. Table 2: Locals chosen for intellectual property registration for specialty brand TT Country Province/City Commune Local 1 Geographical indication 0 18 47 5 2 Collective trademark 0 58 261 632 3 Certification trademark 4 58 138 70 Total 4 134 446 707 Source: Lưu Đức Thanh, 2019 However, currently there are many products associated with specialty name and justify and affirmation with product with the same kind unclear, therefore, trust and perceived value from customers about these products still have some doubts. Whereas Vietnam does not have proper legal law, justify and affirmation and standards about “specialty product”, then many products which have certification from manufactures/business, called themselves “specialty”, and promote them when authorities do not have punishments. In fact, level of trust from the community with many brands was not yet high, which affected a lot to their brand image of local specialty products and prestige of community. Table 3 showed the level of trust by customers about quality and origin of fruits when purchased at different sale points. As can be seen from Table 3, customers mostly trust when they purchase at sale points of exact local products, next comes the the trade fairs, accquaitances, shops specialized about vegetables & fruits. The lowest level includes street vendors, traditional markets, kiosk and online shopping. Appropriate distribution channel could be chosen for locals and collective organization to develop brand for their own products. Table 3: Level of trust by cusomters about quality and origin of when purchased at different places Level of trust by cusomters about Poitns T quality and origin of fruits when T 1 2 3 4 5 Average purchased: 1 Sale points 0 0 0 100 110 4,52 2 Fairs 0 0 45 116 49 4,02 3 Accquaintances 0 0 65 100 45 3,90 Shop specialized about fruit & 4 0 16 113 67 14 3,37 vegetables 5 Big supermarkets 10 15 145 5 35 3,19 6 Convenient stores 9 26 184 8 1 3,09 7 Online shopping 30 90 78 10 2 2,35 8 Traditional market 55 65 67 9 14 2,34 9 Kiosk 45 79 78 5 3 2,24 10 Street vendors 72 118 9 11 0 1,80 *1 is less trust and 5 is most trust. Source: Author’s survey (Ocotber, Novermber 2019) with 210 people in Ha Noi and Nghe An 1008
12. From all activities in order to increase perceived value , besides based on evaluation of customers, the authors also carried out direct interviews at some manufactures to have a clearer observation about the efforts right from the communities where are home of local specitalties. The result from 30 representatives of manufacture (family business, still in the limit of geography indication) 3 group of geographical indication products are: Moc Chau Shan tea (8 manufactures), Thanh Ha lychee (12 manufactures) and Tan Cuong tea (10 manufactures) implied: Only 8/30 manufactures (26.7%) have a certain knowledge about geographical indication (such as recognization, ranking affirmation, quality which only limited within geographical indication been certified, products from outside of the areas are not allowed to have geographical indication brand), whereas 73.3% manufactures have been interviewed but lacking of awareness about what geographical indication means’ 14/30 manufactures (46.6%) implied about participation the community did not show any differences comparing to those who did not join the community (such as no supports, few actitvities or popupaar information, mostly they have to self-study and self- market). 25/30 manufactures felt qualified with the training programme about safe and clean production like VietGap, GlobalGap, transplantation techniques, anti-pesticide, manufactures felt more confident and more active in improving product quality via completing cultivation process, harvesting, process, packaging, etc. on products such as tea and lychee. 11/30 manufactures (36.7%) believed that frauds exist, tea product was mingled, low quality lychee, produced from provinces outside the area which was certified geographical indication. Products are still being sold with the tag ‘geographical indication’ without strictly control and punishment. Therefore, some manufactures reluctantly joined the community, in order to cheat easily. Table 4 below was the result from 30 manufactures about level of important of necessary solutions applied for brand development of specialty products (particularly for tea and lychee product). Table 4: Level of important of solutions for brand development of specialty products Evaluation* No Contents Averag . 1 2 3 4 5 e Build clear, specific and transparent 1 0 0 8 12 10 4,06 standards 2 Traceability stamp 0 0 12 9 9 3,90 Strict punishment of fraud about origin of 3 0 0 5 13 12 3,90 products Good connection with wholesale 4 0 0 13 11 6 3,77 manufacture for distribution Regularly train production technique for 5 0 2 11 13 4 3,30 manufactures 6 Strictly control product sale at manufactures 5 5 5 11 4 3,13 1009
13. 7 Online sale 0 11 9 10 0 2,97 Frequently promote products via facebook, 8 4 6 12 4 4 2,93 zalo, website Control production procedure of every 9 3 6 18 1 2 2,77 manufacture Build product introduction points in 10 5 6 11 7 1 2,77 community Provide products in supermarkets, 11 5 7 14 4 0 2,57 department stores Participation of all manufactures into 12 7 7 11 3 2 2,53 community 13 Participate trade fairs, exhibitions 12 3 8 7 0 2,33 *1 is least important and 5 is most important Source: Survey in July to September 2019 in Moc Chau (Son La), Thanh Ha (Hai Duong) and Tan Cuong (Thai Nguyen) with 30 manufactures, family owned manufactures, within the limit of geographical indication. Solutions related to control specialty products (such as building quality standards, attaching origin stamps, punishing offences) considred as the most important, in order to develop brand because they gurantee prestige and image of product which is not buried and reduced. All evaluations have high concentration. As a result, to improve pervceived value of a brand, quality of product should be placed as priority focus. Nevertheless, besides completing and improving quality, the focus on distribution channel should be well concerned. 5 Brand development solutions for local specialty products Brand development for local specialty products essentially associates with community; therefore, participation from community is necessary. Brand development is not only an investment and concern about how product will be the best but importantly (as shown in Figure 1) concerns about many matters such as completing product, completing point of sales material in fact touch points); increase internal & external communication (like distribution, place & methods, communication behaviors, etc.). The following suggestions might helpful for locals, communities and subjects, in order to develop more for local specialty brand. - Whatever model is chosen to develop brand (based on geographical indication or collective brand or certification brand) then the most important is building a strict disciplines to control product quality (with specific quality standards) and the supply of products into market. Depend on each model and different conditions then quality standards might towards increasing values and benefits for customers based on superior features and different from its origin. Control of product quality, production procedure, suply process need to be concretised and handed over for colletive organisation and related authorities, directly exploited and used brand. Appropriate authorities will orientate, schedule, support and external outside according to government managerial function. - Trust of customer with specialty product is not only a name or logo but the most 1010
14. important thing is authentic origin and commitment about quality shown, such as origin information and prestige of distribution system. Effort to bring product into supermarkets, department stores or stores/sale points will be an important guarantee about quality and prestige. It is necessary to regularly check all the sale points (especially along the street), in order to ensure there will be no fraud origin and quality of products, losing customer’s credit towards local products. Approaching and appealling participation of all subjects, manufactures within geographical area and collective organisation together control and build brand for community product. Traceability origin based on modern technology such as QR code for all local products, with data basis established based on national standards and particular for each manufacture. Technical support and expand training program are not only about production but also about production process for all related subjects, in order to continuously improve quality and diversify products. - Increasing frequency and diversify of communication tool for specialty brand does not only operate within local scope but need to head target market such as big cities, residential center. Communication message needs emphasizing about values and benefits that brings brand to customers, especially exploiting superior features about quality, individual values from origin values, geographical indication and traditional knowledge, cultural value of local community. Exploiting strength of social media, increase communication activities to raise brand awareness and increase perceived values about brand and product. With support from central authority, it is necessary to set up gathered area in big cities to introduce local products periodically and regularly. Regularly maintain local products week in some provinces such as Son La, Bac Giang, Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh city in the recent time. Hopefully, with above suggestions, values should be clearly identified, in order to orientate appropriate strategy and optimal efforts for local product brand development, bring higher economic value for community and preserve, develop cultural values as well as improve resident life. REFERENCES 1. Aaker (1991). Managing Brand Equity. The Free press, New York. 2. Keller (2007). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. Prentice Hall. 3. Lưu Đức Thanh (2018). /asset_publisher/SGA9PgvmYtWI/content/thuong-hieu-cho-cac-ac-san-ia- phuong?inheritRedirect=false (truy cập 01/3/2020). 4. Lưu Đức Thanh (2019). tai-san-tri-tue/-/asset_publisher/vTLYJq8Ak7Gm/content/thuc-trang-trong-xay-dung- quan-ly-va-phat-trien-chi-dan-ia-ly-nhan-hieu-chung-nhan-va-nhan-hieu-tap- the?redirect=%2Fweb%2Fguest%2Fchuong-trinh-phat-trien-tai-san-tri- tue&inheritRedirect=true (truy cập ngày 01/3/2020). 1011
15. 5. Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh và cộng sự (2018). Giáo trình Quản trị thương hiệu. NXB Thống Kê. 6. Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh và Nguyễn Thành Trung (2009). Thương hiệu với nhà quản lý. NXB Lao động xã hội. 7. Nguyễn Quốc Thịnh (2019). Xây dựng thương hiệu sản phẩm địa phương - Góc tiếp cận tư duy chiến lược. Hội thảo "Phát triển thương hiệu sản phẩm, doanh nghiệp Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh" 8. Chính phủ (2018). Nghị định 52/2018/NĐ-CP về phát triển ngành nghề nông thôn 9. (truy cập ngày 01/3/2020). 1012