Is brand management critical to SMEs' product sustainability? Qualitative analysis in the context of Indonesia small enterprise environment

This qualitative study aims to analyze brand management's implementation in small, medium enterprises (SMEs) in three areas in Indonesia, which specialized in craft, food, and fashion companies. The performance of brand management addresses five main stages based on Keller's framework of brand management, including 1) developing brand positioning, 2) identifying and developing brand plans, 3) designing and implementing brand marketing programs, 4) measuring and interpreting brand performance, 5) managing brand equity. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data in Yogyakarta, Lombok, and Makassar. The study found that brand management is perceived to be important in supporting SMEs' performance. This study contributes to the importance of brand management in SME by applying the framework of brand management. The finding can help SME managers or owners formulate branding strategies that strengthen SMEs. However, the results also show that some respondents argued about the unimportance of brand management.