Brand Meaning Gaps: the Pattern of Russian Music Streaming Services

The author focuses on brand meaning gaps existing at Russian digital music market for music streaming services category. Due to the co-creation nature of modern brand building, marketers have partially lost their control over brand meanings in consumer minds. Besides, the market has become more competitive with the launch of «Apple Music» service. These aspects make the topic highly relevant to the current state of brand building in the industry. The problem situation is that there is low information on how to distinguish natural brand meaning gaps (occurring due to the personal characteristics of perception) and those ones that weaken brand relevance. The author uses case study and interviews with experts to gain empirical data to achieve the aim and figure out some characteristics of brand meaning gaps that signalize about the probable loss of brand relevance. The author figures out a number of such characteristics. Besides, the author formulates some practical recommendations to marketers on how to avoid those meaning gaps that lead to decline of brand relevance.