Abstract
In Japan, interest in local brands of agricultural products as a means of rural development is raising rapidly. If the brand fulfills to have the premium price and avoid price competition that brand to contribute to the stabilizing and increasing of farmer's income. In addition, if it is possible to have a strong local brand, diversification and the entry of companies aimed at the brand extension, which brought the industrial activity of the rural areas can also be expected. However, simply having a brand element, in order that it is not possible to get the brand effects, appropriate management and brand strategy will be required. Therefore, in this paper, along with the actual situation of the regional brand strategy of agricultural products, several issues related to brand management been cleared.
First, brand strategy is restricted by the image and awareness of the locality because the local brand of agricultural products is hard to achieve differentiation in quality.
Secondly, with regard to brand equity measurement, brand value based on cost-benefit analysis is not certificated sufficiently compared to the interest in brand power in marketing.
Thirdly, the willingness to brand extension by the entry of companies and diversification had not been examined, thus management of the right to use the brand is focused on control for the protection of the identity of the brand.
