Strategic brand equity management for SMEs: Insights from a comprehensive literature review
List of Authors
  • Ellisha Nasruddin , Wong Kee Wei

Keyword
  • Brand Equity, SMEs, Malaysia, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Digital Marketing, Strategic Brand Management

Abstract
  • This paper critically examines the challenges and strategies involved in building and managing brand equity for SMEs across various industries. The study aims to identify key factors influencing brand equity and propose actionable strategies for enhancing brand value, with potential applications in the Malaysian Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) industry. This study employs a comprehensive literature review to explore the key concepts of brand equity, challenges faced by SMEs, and the impact of digital marketing strategies. The paper synthesizes findings from diverse industries to propose an adapted conceptual framework based on Aaker's Brand Equity Model, tailored to the SME context. The literature review highlights that SMEs face significant challenges in building brand equity, including resource constraints, global competition, and rapidly changing market dynamics. Digital marketing and organizational culture are identified as critical factors in enhancing brand equity for SMEs. The proposed conceptual framework integrates these factors with traditional brand equity dimensions, offering a holistic approach to brand management for SMEs, with implications for the PPE industry. This study addresses a gap in the research on brand equity management for SMEs by synthesizing insights from various industries and proposing strategies that could be adapted to the PPE sector. It offers a tailored conceptual framework and practical recommendations to help SMEs strengthen their brand equity and achieve sustainable growth in competitive markets.

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