零售店主是品牌的靈魂人物，他們必須建立一個明確而強烈的品牌識別，以主導所有溝通策略。品牌溝通不只建立在對目標市場的深度瞭解、擬定溝通策略，以精準傳達品牌哲學，更以提高品牌能見度並累積品牌價值為首要目的。

然而，從最近一股追求生活風格的熱潮當中，也讓我們看見社會價值觀的轉變。消費者不再以追隨單一品牌為消費準則，購物已經變成一種自我形象建立、展現品味及創意的過程。因應著消費習性的轉變，大量微型時尚生活風格形態店開始出現，選品、風格混搭及面對面的店內互動形成新的品牌價值。

本研究採用個案分析及深度訪談品牌創立人，以瞭解生活風格零售品牌之品牌概念建構、店內溝通方式和消費者之間互動的過程，建立以人為本的新興微型生活風格品牌溝通方法。研究結果亦發現，微型時尚生活風格形態店可以被歸類為『創作者』和『發現者』兩大類別。其品牌溝通的方式日趨個人化，強調對消費者的觀察及深度瞭解需求，為因應消費者特質而隨時調整之溝通方式亦考驗店家和店員對人的敏銳度及洞察力。

以人為本的生活風格零售品牌崛起，微型時尚生活形態品牌正是善用人文溝通的箇中高手，消費者在透過實際參與及互動的過程與品牌建立密不可分的關係。深盼此研究可以在品牌識別建立之策略制定及品牌風格管理提供不同的研究觀點。

From the growing popularity of lifestyle shops, the emerging lifestyle pursues trends projecting the changes in consumption value in society. At present consumers are hunting for products and brands which fulfilling their desire to express their self-identities, demonstrating their taste and creativity. In lifestyle select shops, the selected products and style are mix and match. This in-store interaction creates a new brand value based on the various needs of the customers. This research analyzes how such lifestyle shops owners encode their brand concepts for the changing customers through in-store experience creation.

Core brand identity is always important. It carries the brand essence and directs the entire message to consumers to enhance brand awareness and accumulate brand value. Retail storeowners are the soul of the store brand. They create strong brand identity, which leads all market communication strategies. Communication is the linkage between the brand itself and the targeted market. A successful brand communication is executed by specific strategies and a full understanding of customer needs.

In the research findings, based on their characteristics, these owners, acting as lifestyle missionaries, are typologized into “creators” and “explorers”. They are inspiring, leading, and interacting with consumers differently. The analysis of the interview data shows that communication becomes very individualized and highly reliant on the sensibility and aesthetic perception of storeowners and staff. Brand communication of lifestyle retail now is transforming into a humanist style, which emphasizes emotion and intellectual interaction.

Aaker, D. A. (1996). Building Strong Brands. Pocket Simon and Schuster. London
Aaker, D. A., & Joachimsthaler, E. (n.d.). (2000). Brand Leadership: Building Assets
In an Information Economy. Free Press. NY
Abimbola, T., & Vallaster, C. (2007). Brand, organisational identity and reputation in SMEs: an overview. Qualitative Market Research: an International Journal, 10(4)
Ailawadi, K. L., & Keller, K. L. (2004). Understanding retail branding: conceptual insights and research priorities. Journal of Retailing, 80(4), 331–342.
Alessandri, S. W. (2001). Modeling corporate identity: a concept explication and theoretical explanation. Corporate Communications: an International Journal, 6(4), 173–182.
Allen, D. (2010). Living the Brand. Design Management Journal (Former Series), 11(1), 35–40.
Andersen, P. H. (2001). Relationship development and marketing communication: an integrative model. JSTOR: Journal of Marketing, Vol. 62, No. 2 (Apr., 1998), Pp. 1-13, 16(3), 167–183.
Austin, C. G. (2008, August). Lifestyle brands and peer-to-peer communications: Concepts, Contents, and Contexts. (G. M. Zinkhan, Ed.). The University of Georgia. USA
Balmer, J. M. T., & Gray, E. R. (2003). Corporate brands: what are they? What of them? European Journal of Marketing, 37(7/8), 972–997.
Balmer, J. M. T., & Greyser, S. A. (2006). Corporate marketing: Integrating corporate identity, corporate branding, corporate communications, corporate image and corporate reputation. European Journal of Marketing, 40(7/8), 730–741.
Barnes, B. E. (2001). Integrated brand communication planning: retail applications. Journal of Marketing Communications, 7(1), 11–17.
Berthon, P., Ewing, M. T., & Napoli, J. (2008). Brand Management in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises*. Journal of Small Business Management, 46(1), 27–45.
Borghini, S., Diamond, N., Kozinets, R. V., McGrath, M. A., Muñiz, A. M., Jr., & Sherry, J. F., Jr. (2009). Why Are Themed Brandstores So Powerful? Retail Brand Ideology at American Girl Place. Journal of Retailing, 85(3), 363–375.
Bosch, A. L. M. V. D., Jong, M. D. T. de, & Elving, W. J. L. (2005). How corporate visual identity supports reputation. Corporate Communications: an International Journal, 10(2), 108–116.
Brïdson, K., & Evans, J. (2004). The secret to a fashion advantage is brand orientation. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 32(8), 403–411.
Brooks, D. (2010). Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There. Taipei: Simon & Schuster. London
Burmann, C., & Zeplin, S. (2005). Building brand commitment: A behavioural approach to internal brand management. Journal of Brand Management, 12(4), 279–300.
Burt, S., & Davies, K. (2010). From the retail brand to the retail-er as a brand: themes and issues in retail branding research. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 38(11/12), 865–878.
Cahill, D. J. (2006). Lifestyle market segmentation. Routledge. USA
Chen, T. S. (2012). Creative Talent Drive Transformation of Professionals’ Constitution in the Modern City: A Case Study of Fashion Talent Flow in Taipei. European Planning Studies, 2013 Taylor & Francis.
Chernev, A., Hamilton, R., & Gal, D. (2011). Competing for Consumer Identity: Limits to Self-Expression and the Perils of Lifestyle Branding. Journal of Marketing, 75(3), 66–82.
Claire Stammerjohan (2005). An Empirical Investigation of the Interaction Between Publicity, Advertising, and Previous Brand Attitudes and Knowledge.
Journal of Advertising, 34(4), 55–67.
De Chernatony, L. (2001). A model for strategically building brands. Journal of Brand Management, 9(1), 32–44.
De Chernatony, L. (1999). Brand Management Through Narrowing the Gap Between Brand Identity and Brand Reputation. Journal of Marketing Management, 15(1-3), 157–179.
Deborah Helman, & de Chernatony, L. (1999). Exploring the Development of Life Retail Brands. The Service Industries Journal, 19(2), 49–68.
Dewhirst, T., & Davis, B. (2005). Brand Strategy and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC): A Case Study of Player’s Cigarette Brand Marketing. Journal of Advertising, 34(4), 81–92.
Duncan, T., & Moriarty, S. E. (1998). A Communication-Based Marketing Model for Managing Relationships. Journal of Marketing, 1–13.
Fowler, F. J. (1995). Improving Survey Questions: Design and Evaluation - Floyd J.
Fowler. SAGE Publications. USA
Gurau, C. (2008). Integrated online marketing communication: implementation and management. Journal of Communication Management, 12(2), 169–184.
Harris, F., & Chernatony, L. de. (2001). Corporate branding and corporate brand performance. European Journal of Marketing, 35(3/4), 441–456.
Hines, T., & Bruce, M. (2012). Fashion Marketing. Routledge. UK
Hoeffler, S., & Keller, K. L. (2002). Building brand equity through corporate societal marketing. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 78–89.
Holt, D. B. (2004). How brands become icons: The principle of cultural branding. Harvard Business Review Press. USA
Holt, D. B. (2010). Cultural strategy: Using innovative ideologies to build breakthrough brands. Oxford University Press. New York
Karaosmanoglu, E., & Melewar, T. C. (2006). Corporate communications, identity and image: A research agenda. Journal of Brand Management, 14(1/2), 196–206.
Keller, K. L. (2009). Building strong brands in a modern marketing communications environment. Journal of Marketing Communications, 15(2-3), 139–155.
Keller, K. L. (2010). Brand Equity Management in a Multichannel, Multimedia Retail Environment. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 24(2), 58–70.
Kent, T. (2003). 2D23D: management and design perspectives on retail branding. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 31(3), 131–142.
Kevein Lane Keller, D. R. L. (2006). Brands and Branding: Research Findings and Future Priorities. Marketing Science, 25(6), pp.740–759.
Kitchen, P. J., BRIGNELL, J., LI, T., & JONES, G. S. (2004). The Emergence of IMC: A Theoretical Perspective. Journal of Advertising Research, 44(1), 19–30.
Kliatchko, J. G. (2008). Revisiting the IMC construct. International Journal of Advertising, 27(1), 133–160.
Kotler, P. (2010). Marketing 3.0: From Products To Customers To Human Spirit. John Wiley & Sons, INC. USA
Krake, F. (2005). Successful brand management in SMEs: a new theory and practical hints. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 14(4), 228–238.
Lane Keller, K. (2001). Mastering the Marketing Communications Mix: Micro and Macro Perspectives on Integrated Marketing Communication Programs. Journal of Marketing Management, 17(7-8), 819–847.
Liu, W.G. (2006). Lifestyle Society. CommonWealth Magazine. (Vol. 1). Taipei
Lynch, J., & de Chernatony, L. (2004). The power of emotion: Brand communication in business-to-business markets. Journal of Brand Management, 11(5), 403–419.
Madhavaram, S., Badrinarayanan, V., & McDonald, R. E. (2005). Integrated marketing communication (IMC) and brand identity as critical components of brand equity strategy: A conceptual framework and research propositions. Journal of Advertising, 34(4), 69–80.
Mohr, J., & Nevin, J. R. (1990). Communication Strategies in Marketing Channels: A Theoretical Perspective. Journal of Marketing, 54(4), 36–51.
Nandan, S. (2005). An exploration of the brand identity–brand image linkage: A communications perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 12(4), 264–278.
Oppenheim, A. N. (1992). Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. Bloomsbury Publishing. NY
Palmer, A., & Koenig-Lewis, N. (2009). An experiential, social network-based approach to direct marketing. Direct Marketing: an International Journal, 3(3), 162–176.
Peltier, J. W., Schibrowsky, J. A., & Schultz, D. E. (2003). Interactive integrated marketing communication: combining the power of IMC, the new media and database marketing. International Journal of Advertising, 22(1), 93–116.
Perrey, J., & Spillecke, D. (2011). Retail Marketing and Branding. John Wiley & Sons. USA
Pettinger, L. (2004). Brand Culture and Branded Workers: Service Work and Aesthetic Labour in Fashion Retail. Consumption Markets & Culture, 7(2), 165–184.
Powell, S., & Dodd, C. (2007). Managing vision and the brand within the creative industries. Corporate Communications: an International Journal, 12(4), 394–413.
Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked: The New Social Operating System.
The MIT Press. USA
Ritchie, J., & Lewis, J. (2003). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. SAGE. London
Schmitt, B. (2010). Experiential Marketing: A New Framework for Design and Communications. Design Management Journal (Former Series), 10(2), 10–16.
Simms, C., & Trott, P. (2007). An analysis of the repositioning of the “BMW Mini” brand. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 16(5), 297–309.
Smith, P. P. R., & Zook, Z. (2011). Marketing communications: integrating offline
and online with social media. Kogan Page. UK
Spence, M., & Essoussi, L. H. (2010). SME brand building and management: an exploratory study. European Journal of Marketing, 44(7/8), 1037–1054.
Stuart, H., & Kerr, G. (1999). Marketing communication and corporate identity: are they integrated? Journal of Marketing Communications, 5(4), 169–179.
Tungate, M. (2008). Fashion Brands. Kogan Page Publishers. UK
Unal, B. (2010). Is Taiwan Ready for Post-modernism? A Comparative Study
between Sweden and Taiwan. National Sun Yet-sen University Published. TW
Urde, M. (1999). Brand Orientation: A Mindset for Building Brands into Strategic Resources. Journal of Marketing Management, 15(1-3), 117–133.
Urde, M. (2003). Core value-based corporate brand building. European Journal of Marketing, 37(7/8), 1017–1040.
Vaidyanathan, R., & Aggarwal, P. (2000). Strategic brand alliances: implications of ingredient branding for national and private label brands. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 9(4), 214–228.
Varadarajan, R., Srinivasan, R., Vadakkepatt, G. G., Yadav, M. S., Pavlou, P. A., Krishnamurthy, S., & Krause, T. (2010). Interactive Technologies and Retailing Strategy: A Review, Conceptual Framework and Future Research Directions. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 24(2), 96–110.
Verbano, C., Crema, M., & Venturini, K. (2013). The Identification and Characterization of Open Innovation Profiles in Italian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Journal of Small Business Management, doi: 10.1111/jsbm.12091
Warner, H. (2013). Fashion, celebrity and cultural workers: SJP as cultural intermediary. Media, Culture & Society, 35(3), 382–391.
Wong, H. Y., & Merrilees, B. (2005). A brand orientation typology for SMEs: a case research approach. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 14(3), 155–162.
Wright, D. (2005). Mediating production and consumption: cultural capital and “cultural workers.” The British Journal of Sociology, 56(1), 105–121.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study research: design and methods (Applied social research methods v.5) (4 ed., Vol. 5). SAGE Publication,Inc.