The above statement has long been established as the canonical view of economic reality, and it has only been a couple of years since we thoroughly started to contest and debate this world-view. Grasping this, we focus on two aspects about the above perception in detail: First, a suggestion to redefine the term ‘market’ in a more up-to-date fashion, second, the debunking of the suspicious correlation between ‘no money to spend’ and ‘no money to be made’.

Branding has been acknowledged as a fundamental function for companies (e.g. Aaker & Shansby 1982: 56; Ambler et al. 2002: 13; Doyle 1990: 5; Gardner & Levy 1955; Grönroos 2007; Homer 2008; Keller 1993). A brand may be explained as an entirety of perceptions and feelings that consumers associate with a product/service recognized by a brand name. Included are aspects like distinctiveness (e.g., its packaging and logos), quality, performance, familiarity and user imagery (e.g. Batra, Ahuvia & Bagozzi 2012). Brands ...