ABSTRACT
Corporations consist of multiple branded – or potentially branded – entities, which may include single products and whole product lines and subsidiary companies. In the automobile industry, the corporate brand versus product brand dichotomy – aka "marque versus model" – is a long-standing one, and is institutionalized by the system of distributing the products via tied dealerships. Relationships with a corporate brand are an "active" influence on behavior only at rather infrequent intervals; at other times they remain in the background. While there was a good deal of consensus about the American auto brands, consumers' relationships with imported brands – particularly Japanese – were subject to conflicting emotions. In business decisions, brand loyalty is often based on trust. One of the most important differences between a corporate brand and other types of brand is in the nature of "the consumer". When company is the brand, there are far more critical points of contact between the brand and its consumers.
