The aim of this exploratory research is to investigate whether luxury brands social media activities (Kim & Ko, 2012) – which are online activities that could potentially engage customers in digital environment (Sashi, 2012) – are capable of transmitting the sense of heritage of such brands to the customers. Moreover, the authors will observe whether the aforementioned activities are capable of transmitting the sense of exclusivity, which will be measured through the customers’ perceptions of the brand prestige (Hwang & Hyun, 2012), to the latter. In order to explore such a phenomenon, the authors have selected structural eqation modeling (SEM) as the main methodology of the research (Bagozzi & Yi, 1988). The theoretical foundations of the present research are related with three streams of marketing literature, namely (1) luxury brands social media marketing activities (Kim & Ko, 2010; Kim & Ko, 2012), (2) luxury brands heritage (Ciappei, Zollo, Boccardi, & Rialti, 2016; Hudson, 2011; Rialti, Zollo, Boccardi, & Marzi, 2016) and, finally, (3) luxury brands customer-based prestige (Napoli, Dickinson, Beverland, & Farrelly, 2014). In particular, building on the concept of social media marketing activities (Kim & Ko, 2010), we aimed at observing how the latter could influence customers’ perceptions of the brand by engaging them in online activities and conversations (Sashi, 2012; Zaglia, 2013). Specifically, we investigated if engagement in online activities or in online communities is related with a positive perception of luxury brands’ heritage and prestige. Hence, customers’ online engagement deriving from social media activities has been considered as an antecedent of customer perceived heritage and prestige (Phan, Thomas, & Heine, 2011; Hamzah, Alwi, & Othman, 2014; Riviezzo Garofano, & Napolitano, 2016). Luxury brands have been selected as the context of research since heritage and prestige have emerged as relevant strategic marketing levers for luxury brands’ brand strategist. As a proof of that, recently, luxury brands’ strategist and product managers are increasingly focusing brands’ strategies on the history of the brands in order to transmit customers a feeling of exclusivity and elitism (Hudson, 2010; Balmer, 2011). Thus, luxury brands heritage perceived by costumers emerged as a fundamental component of brand identity and, in addition, it may be considered as a form of competitive advantage increasing brand equity (Van Riel & Balmer, 1997). The main findings of the present research are related with the fact that social media marketing activities may engage customers online (Sashi, 2012). Moreover, it emerged how social media strategies are capable to engage customers and transmit them the sense of heritage and prestige. Hence, social media marketing strategies focused on developing a relationship with customers emerged as crucial in order to enhance customers’ perceptions of a brand heritage and prestige. Finally, the development of such a kind of social media marketing strategies is the principal implication for marketing managers. Due to the aforementioned results, this exploratory research contributes to online luxury brand management literature (Kim & Ko, 2010). In particular, due to our results it is possible to assess that social media activities, which are capable to engage customers online, are able to transmit the sense of heritage and of prestige. Future researches should explore better this phenomenon. In particular, on the one hand we suggest scholars to investigate through qualitative methodologies which kind of communications are capable to transmit sense of heritage and prestige. On the other hand, we suggest scholars to compare traditional form of communications with online form in order to understand which one is more capable to influence customers’ perceptions. The principal limitation of this research is related with its exploratory nature and with the traditional limitations of SEM methodology.

특허권자의 특허권은 혁신적 기술 개발을 위한 유인장치이자 보호장치로 필요하고, 동시에 제네 릭권자의 복제권은 특허권 남용에 따른 고가의 독 점 공급 문제를 해결하기 위해 필요하다. 따라서 특 허권자의 보호와 제네릭권자의 보호 사이에 균형 을 이루는 제도 마련이 요구된다. 특히 제약분야와 농업분야는 R&D를 통한 신제품 개발을 장려하기 위해 특허권을 보호해야 하지만, 한편 좋은 제품의 대중화를 위해 제네릭업자를 보호해야하는 바, 제 네릭 의약품과 제네릭 GMO관련 규제가 시급한 현 실이다. 제약분야에서는 미국은 Hatch-Waxman Act 로 신약개발 특허권자와 제네릭 제약업자 간의 균 형을 이룬 제도가 실행되고 있다. 우리나라의 경우 한∙미 FTA로 특허권자에 대한 보호조치인 통지 제도가 도입되었고, 허가-특허연계제도 역시 도입 될 예정이다. 그러나 우리나라의 경우 제약산업이 제네릭업자임을 감안할 때, 특허권자를 과도하게 보호하는 허가-특허연계제도에 대하여 제네릭 제 약업자를 보호하는 특허권 남용에 따른 손해배상 제도와 같은 제도가 필요할 것이다. 농업분야도 미국 몬산토社의 GMO 특허제품인 RR콩의 특허만료로 인한 제네릭 GMO관련 논의가 진행되고 있다. 이에 관하여 미국은 제약관련 특허 권자와 제네릭권자의 균형을 이룬 것으로 평가되 는 Hatch-Waxman Act를 준용하자는 논의가 있 으나, 우리나라의 경우 제약분야의 입법도 미비하 여 준용하기 어려운 점, 국내법의 GMO관련 법안 이 통일성이 부족한 점, 제네릭 GMO 및 제네릭 신 품종에 대한 규정이 미흡한 점을 고려할 때, 현 시 점에서 우리나라는 GMO관련 국내법을 먼저 정비 한 후 제네릭 GMO에 관한 규정 도입을 논해야 할 것이다.