The impact of rebranding on club member relationships

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the response of members to a rebranding strategy implemented by a member-owned organisation. More specifically, the authors examine the impact of rebranding awareness and attitude towards rebranding on the members’ perceived value of their memberships, their satisfaction and, subsequently, their commitment to the organisation. Design/methodology/approach – The research employed in-depth interviews followed by a quantitative survey. Data were collected online from 264 current members of Dogs SA and data analysis employed SEM principles. Findings – Findings demonstrate that the members’ awareness of a rebranding attempt can significantly enhance perceived membership value, leading to increased levels of satisfaction. With both perceived value and satisfaction antecedents of membership commitment, the importance of such improvements cannot be underestimated. Research limitations/implications – Despite a high response rate of 88 per cent, only ten per cent of the membership base was included in the initial sample. Limitations relate to the single context, a canine association, and single rebranding attempt examined in this paper. Only three outcome measures were included, namely membership value, satisfaction and commitment. Practical implications – While non-profit member-owned organisations play an increasingly important role in our economic and social environment, participation rates are dropping in many such organisations. If they are to remain viable, the commitment of existing members must be improved. The study provides managers with important insight into a potentially powerful strategy to increase underpin membership dedication by means of satisfaction and enhanced perceived value. Originality/value – This paper successfully integrates relationship marketing and rebranding literature domains, producing significant implications for non-profit membership organisations.