Abstract:
Branding is considered as a process that involves changing external or internal
boundaries of any product and it plays immense role in marketing. With that over the past
few years, herbal brands and natural brands in fast moving consumer goods market have
taken an increasing amount of brand manger's time, and this continues further due to
shifting consumers' choice from non - herbal products to herbal products across
developing countries and developed countries.
For this reason brand managers are trying to attribute herbal values to their products in
order to get the competitive advantage in the market place. Nevertheless the major
argument is that, how far consumers may consider herbal brands and its value in their
buying decision. This study examined the major features of herbal brands and its relative
importance to consumer's buying decision. Researchers selected reputed brands from fast
moving consumer goods that represent hair care, oral care, beauty care, baby care sectors
in the market in order to examine relative importance of their brand features. Values of
herbal brands were grouped into four features namely ingredient, package, product design
and effective communication.
Survey approach was employed to evaluate the consumer attitudes and questionnaire was
the major research instrument. Two hundred respondents were selected as the sample
from Gampaha and Colombo area. The study revealed that ingredients of the products
are significantly influence in evaluating brand values of herbal brands by Sri Lankan
consumers. Communication and product design also moderately influence to determine
the brand values. The communication is important to position the brands in consumers
mind as genuine herbal products. Therefore, researchers recommended that brand
managers should emphasize the natural ingredients in their herbal brand with using
effective communication.
