A significant percentage of market leaders consider branding as critical to growth. The most loved brands have better awareness and recognition compared to competitors and usually have more loyal customers. It is associated with differences in consumer perceptions towards a brand and influenced by factors, such as instant trust, attracting top employees, or hitting goals. A brand gets strong by investing in brand tracking research which involves analyzing consumer perceptions towards it and how they buy and use products. The crucial metrics in brand health tracking include brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand associations, brand preference, and brand usage. Over the years, it has become common for unexpected natural disasters to impact brands differently depending on many factors. However, one recent happening that has significantly affected lives is the COVID-19 pandemic. Its name ‘Coronavirus’ has undoubtedly impacted the beer brand Corona Extra Beer. Such events make it crucial for companies such as Corona Extra to track brand health time after time. This report aims to design a brand health tracker survey for Corona Extra Beer.

Brand Context

Brand Overview

Corona (Extra) brand got founded in 1925, Mexico. The brand is available in over 150 countries worldwide and is associated with strong brand values that embody Corona’s “find your beach” attitude (Corona, 2021). The brand operates in the brewing industry. It was introduced to the United States market in 1981 and became the fastest-growing imported brand. The beer gets supplied by Grupo Modelo company, whose brewery location is Mexico, Nava, and Obregon breweries.  Despite being the number one imported beer in the U.S. and Canada, Corona Extra is the best-selling Mexican beer globally. In its home market, Mexico, the brand is by far the leader. Even with several changes in the brewing industry over the years, Corona Extra potentially remains one of the most cherished products by beer users from different parts of the world. An effective marketing strategy has partially contributed to this competitive advantage. Customers’ loyalty has become one of the most significant factors behind a brand’s competitive advantage, which is evident in the growth of Corona Extra.

The Keller’s Brand Resonance Model

Keller (2003) defines brand resonance as the extent to which a brand’s customers develop strong social, psychological, and behavioral bonds. In most cases, brand loyalty develops because consumers perceive a brand as a source of fundamental belief (Rindfleisch et al., 2006). According to this model, members of a brand create shared mythos about a brand and exchange stories about its accomplishments. Corona’s first brief rise to iconic status came back in 1988 when it became one of the cheapest beers in Mexico. In the 80s, the idea of hedonistic spring break had become popular in U.S. colleges (Holt, 2019). During holidays, students stormed beach resorts where much of Corona beer got consumed. The low cost of Corona was certainly, appealing to students alongside its distinctive package design. The brand had a clear returnable bottle. It was a characteristic of an authentic Mexican beer compared with the more expensive beers whose cans were brightly colored. Holt explains how Corona embodied one of the most resonant party-centered myths during the 80s and 90s. Later, when competition increased with the rise of other brands, Corona came up with strategies to create unique customer perceptions.

The awareness of Corona has remained relatively good because of favorable and unique associations. Once consumers formed a positive attitude towards the brand, a strong relationship got established. However, recent studies have found Corona has a relatively low score in uniqueness and offers insufficient meaning to its customers (Norris, 2018). Corona scores are relatively high in brand attitude. With effective marketing, the company can emphasize the feeling consumers get by choosing Corona Extra. On the brand associative network, Norris records that Corona has a higher score than other brands but needs to improve its uniqueness. Corona’s consumers are relatively familiar with the brand hence, the brand awareness is relatively high.

Brand Positioning

Despite being managed by two different entities, Corona Extra has the same positioning strategy globally. The brand strategy revolves around the idea of the beach’s state of mind (Adamska, 2020). It has managed to build several associations in the minds of consumers over the years, notably the summer sunsets. Corona is arguably the only brand that presents the idea of relaxing in an exotic paradise and living a carefree life.

Corona Extra has a unified global brand positioning strategy with the flexibility to adapt across cultures to address local customer preferences (Modo Group, 2021).

A brand archetype is how a brand presents itself, its values, and messages to make it more relatable to consumers (Xara-Brasil et al., 2018). It is the psychological associations and intangible characteristics that remain unique. The archetype of Corona is explorers, encouraging consumers to pursue their true selves. With an effective and consistent measure of key performance indicators, the Corona brand can easily have a competitive advantage over its global competitors for several years.

Key Brand Dimensions to Measure

Brand awareness is how easy it is for the brand to get noticed in buying situations (Pappu et al., 2005). It encompasses the memory associations that consumers have for the product at a given time. The greater the chance for consumers to think of Corona Extra, the greater the probability of it getting chosen. Brand performance describes how well the product meets the functional needs of its customers (Keller, 1993). It may depend on sensory aspects like how the product feels and looks. A brand’s health tracking report should consider several factors, such as primary characteristics, product reliability, durability & serviceability, service effectiveness, and price. Brand image is the sum of all intangible and tangible perceptions about Corona Extra beer that consumers hold. A positive brand image translates to customer loyalty (Keller, 2008). Brand judgment focus on customers’ opinions on the Corona Extra brand based on performance and imager associations. The judgments that are crucial to the brand are quality, credibility, consideration, and superiority. Brand feelings relate to the brand’s social currency. They range from warmth, fun, excitement, security, social approval, or self-respect. These dimensions are the basis of creating a survey to track Corona Extra brand health over time.

Selection and Justification of Questions

Brand Awareness

1. Do you take beer? Yes, or No.

This question intends to collect information concerning psychographics, such as customers’ interests and opinions. It is a closed-ended single-choice question.

• Which of the following beer companies do you know? Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois.

It is a closed-ended, multiple-choice question. It intends to discover whether the respondents know the case brand Corona Extra. It will measure brand awareness.

• How did you come to know Corona Extra? Word of mouth, when searching beer brands, advertisements, a retailer.

This question is closed-ended, multiple-choice, asked to assess the sources from which the respondents became aware of the beer brand Corona Extra.

Brand Performance and Imagery

• Do you consider Corona Extra as your best choice beer? Yes, no, not sure.

This question intends to measure the level of trust the respondents have towards Corona Extra. It is one of the indicators of brand reliability. It is a closed-ended, simple choice question.

Brand Judgments and Feelings

• Have you used Corona Extra before? Yes, no, not sure.

This question intends to determine the respondents buying behavior and indicate whether the brand has loyal customers.

• In one to two sentences, how would you describe Corona Extra to a friend?

This question intends to determine what the respondents think of the brand and what it represents.

• What emotions do you feel when you think about Corona Extra? Why?

This question intends to understand customer’s feelings that the brand stirs in them, crucial for companies in marketing strategies.

Brand Resonance

• How likely is it that you would recommend this brand to a friend or colleague? Neutral, very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, very unlikely.

This question intends to determine the relationship created between the product and the respondents or potential customers. The more likely they are to recommend the brand to a friend, the stronger the relationship.

Brand Usage

• When looking for a beer, how likely are you to consider Corona Extra first? Neutral, very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, very unlikely.

The question intends to assess the ease of respondents getting swayed away from the brand by competitors. The more likely they are to consider Corona Extra first in buying a beer, the better the competitive advantage for the company.

1. Do you intend to buy Corona Extra beer soon? Yes, no, not sure.

This question intends to understand purchasing patterns of the respondents. It can give crucial insight into whether the company is likely to experience an increase or decrease in demand.

Conclusion

Brand health tracking offers a much significant impact than simply evaluating how customers perceive the brand. It can help find what influences the way people respond or engage with the business. For brands that have remained competitive for many years, such as Corona Extra, brand health tracking offers a means of improving and continuously engaging in innovative strategies. Creating a survey to evaluate crucial dimensions such as brand awareness, brand imagery, and judgments towards the brand can be the starting point of creating a long-lasting business.

Brand Health Tracking Survey

Do you take beer?

1. Yes
2. No

Which of the following beer companies do you know?  Select all that apply.

1. Budweiser
2. Corona
3. Stella Artois

How did you come to know Corona Extra?

1. Word of mouth
2. When searching beer brands
3. Advertisements
4. A retailer
5. Other

Do you consider Corona Extra as your best choice beer?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not Sure

Have you used Corona Extra before? 

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not Sure

In one to two sentences, how would you describe Corona Extra to a friend?

What emotions do you feel when you think about Corona Extra? Why?

How likely is it that you would recommend this brand to a friend or colleague?

1. Very likely
2. Somewhat likely
3. Neutral
4. Somewhat unlikely
5. Very unlikely

When looking for a beer, how likely are you to consider Corona Extra first? 

1. Very likely
2. Somewhat likely
3. Neutral
4. Somewhat unlikely
5. Very unlikely

Do you intend to buy Corona Extra beer soon?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not Sure

References

Adamska, M., 2020. The positioning of the three most VALUABLE beer brands – 2020 update: Brandstruck: Brand strategy / positioning case studies. BrandStruck. Available at: https://brandstruck.co/blog-post/positioning-three-valuable-beer-brands/ [Accessed August 4, 2021].

Anon, Corona extra. MODO Group. Available at: https://www.modo-group.com/corona-extra/ [Accessed August 4, 2021].

Forbes. 2021. Corona. [online] Available at: [Accessed 4 August 2021].

Holt, D.B., 2019. How brands become icons: The principles of cultural branding, Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Keller, K.L., 1993. Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), p.1.

Keller, K.L., 2003. Strategic brand management: Building, measuring, and managing brand equity, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Keller, K.L., 2008. Strategic brand management: Building, measuring, and managing brand equity, Upper Saddle River: Pearson education.

Norris, M., 2018. Brand performance indicator the Corona Pyramid. PDF Free Download. Available at: http://businessdocbox.com/Marketing/71654495-Brand-performance-indicator-the-corona-pyramid.html [Accessed August 4, 2021].

Pappu, R., Quester, P.G. & Cooksey, R.W., 2005. Consumer‐based brand equity: Improving the measurement – empirical evidence. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 14(3), pp.143–154.

Rindfleisch, A., Wong, N. & Burroughs, J., 2006. Seeking Certainty via Brands: An Examination of Materialism and Brand Resonance.

Xara-Brasil, D., Miadaira Hamza, K. & Marquina, P., 2018. The meaning of a brand? An archetypal approach. Revista de Gestão, 25(2), pp.142–159.