The survey was conducted face-to-face in the classroom and students asked personally. The two Asian hotel chains are globally not very prominent. Most Western executives stay at well-known global hotel chains (e.g., Accor, Hilton) because they have a corporate contract. Shangri-La and Banyan Tree are not that visible in Western countries. This stays in contrast to Asian executives.
Aaker’s approach is nested within these – it specifies a way brands can establish relevance in the eyes of consumers (via establishing a human identity or character).