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E-store brand personality congruence for multichannel apparel retail brands
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims at examining the role of the e-store brand personality congruence/incongruence of a multichannel apparel retailer in the formation of consumers' perceived e-store brand fit and e-store patronage intention, based on the concept of image congruence.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted with a US national sample of 458 female consumers (20–50 years old) who had shopped for clothing online.
Findings
Results revealed that e-store brand personality incongruence in three personality dimensions had a negative impact on consumers' e-store patronage intention directly as well as indirectly by reducing the consumers' global perception of the e-store brand fit. Further, the retailer's relevance to the consumer moderated the relationship between the perceived e-store brand fit and e-store patronage intention in that this relationship was significantly greater among consumers with a high (vs low) perceived self-relevance of the retail brand.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of symbolically integrated cross-channel brand management for multichannel apparel retailers by clearly identifying their brand personality and carefully crafting it into their e-store interface design and e-store visual merchandising to convey the brand personality.
Originality/value
This study expands the application of image congruence to the cross-channel image congruence phenomenon in multichannel retailing environments by examining the e-store brand image congruence employing both direct and indirect approaches.
... So, it obtained a small piece of the aggregate and aggregate picture that customers created based on a retail store (Das, 2014) and released character-coordinated perspectives. According to Chang and Kwon, (2021) stated that the significance of a store can be better comprehended by analyzing a retail location's elicited cognition and supporting natural observations. They demonstrate that store conditions affect client emotional attributes. ...
Purpose - The primary objective of this research is to scrutinize the effects of retail brand personality and brand relationship quality on electronic word-of-mouth. This study also examines the mediating role of eWOM between brand personality and brand relationship quality. Study Design/Methodology/Approach - The research utilizes a survey methodology to collect data from a sample of 300 young consumers were selected from various retailer stores in different cities across Pakistan, selected via convenience sampling. The response rate was 91%. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 21.0, applying both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics techniques. Findings- The results indicated that 26% of the participants were female and 74% were male. 31% of the participants have a family income ranging from 28,000PKR to 38,000PKR per month. In a similar vein, 39% of respondents indicated that they visited retailers twice per month. Moreover, findings indicate that retail brand personality has a positive correlation with brand relationship quality (r = 0.48**), and electronic word-of-mouth (r = 0.30**), as well as with intentions of store patronage (r = 0.27*). It was also established that eWOM acts as a mediator in the relationship between brand relationship quality and store patronage intentions. Practical Implications- Retailers can leverage their unique brand personality trails that foster strong relationship quality to stimulate positive electronic word-of-mouth. All the positive determinants of eWOM can be utilized by marketers to convince consumers to visit their retail location or purchase their product. It may also aid them in averting negative consumer perceptions of their establishment. Originality/Novelty- The dynamic of eWOM referrals, especially when originating from reputable and experienced sources, significantly shape consumers’ purchasing behavior. Positive eWOM enhances the relationship between consumer and a brand, influencing their likelihood to visit or revisit the brand store.
... Among the total internet connections, approximately 55% belong to urban areas, out of which 97% were wireless (IBEF, 2022). E-commerce platforms play crucial role to build, reinforce and enhance the brand image of a retailer (Jae Youn Chang, 2022). All these factors lead to increased use of e-commerce platforms by the manufacturer and the buyers, which increases the need to understand all the components that eventually impact the customer's purchase intention on such e-commerce platforms. ...
Purpose
This study aims to understand how brand personality affects purchase intention through brand love and perceived quality in e-commerce.
Design/methodology/approach
Three hundred forty-eight users of e-commerce sites in New Delhi, India, were surveyed for the study. The data set was examined using confirmatory factor analysis, and the research hypotheses were assessed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Two important conclusions emerged from the study. First, brand love and perceived quality have been considerably and favorably influenced by all six dimensions of brand personality of e-commerce brands. Second, the purchase intention toward the e-commerce sites is significantly and positively impacted by brand love and perceived quality.
Practical implications
This study by exploring various dimensions of brand personality, will assist e-commerce executives in increasing purchase intention toward the e-retailing sites.
Originality/value
This research is supposed to be the foremost to look at how brand personality, through brand love and perceived quality affects purchase intention toward e-commerce websites. The attachment theory is used in this study as a theoretical foundation for linking e-commerce brand personality to customers’ purchase intentions via brand love and perceived quality.
... The congruity-premise also extends to matching digital BP with other constructs. For instance, Chang and Kwon (2022) argued for the importance of e-store brand personality (in)congruence as an indicator of how well the BP of the e-store reflected the personality of the overall brand (within-brand-congruity). Other researchers demonstrated that congruity between a brand's personality with its advertising context, the internet media's personality (Ham & Lee, 2015), or the fit between social media influencers, their followers, and brands have positive effects on consumer responses ) (between-brands-congruity). ...
In a digital world, it is becoming increasingly important for marketing researchers and practitioners to understand how consumers attribute humanlike characteristics and personality traits to brands, as the brand’s personality has a significant influence on consumers’ behavior and their brand relationships. However, despite a growth in research interest over the past two decades, the literature on consumers’ digital brand personality perceptions remains fragmented and dispersed across digital contexts. Thus, now is an opportune time to take stock of the field and build a knowledge foundation for future research to establish the domain of digital brand personality. To this end, this systematic literature review, based on the TCCM framework, identifies dominant theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies used to study consumers’ digital brand personality perceptions by systematically reviewing 107 peer‐reviewed journal articles published between 2005 to 2021. Using an in‐depth content analysis of the articles, this review integrates research findings from different digital contexts and provides a new conceptual framework of digital brand personality. The review concludes with a comprehensive research agenda that highlights the need to broaden the theoretical groundings of the field (theory); identifies numerous digital touchpoints and new technologies that remain underexplored (context); reveals inconsistencies and knowledge gaps regarding dimensions, antecedents, and consequences of digital brand personality (characteristics); and suggests diverse, digital‐based research approaches (methodology) to further advance the study of consumers’ digital brand personality perceptions.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the impact of symbolic and functional incongruity on brand
hate. According to self-congruity theory, symbolic and functional congruence are a critical phenomenon in
consumer buying decisions. Therefore, the present study develops a theoretical framework based on selfcongruity
theory to examine the key determinants of brand hate.
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected only in fast-food chain franchises in the capital city
territory of Pakistan. Therefore, it is hard to generalize the findings of this research for customers from
different cultural backgrounds.
Findings – The results of the study reveal that symbolic and functional incongruence are the primary factors
responsible for brand hate among Pakistani fast-food customers. Customers carefully consider both selfimage
and product attributes when purchasing products.
Research limitations/implications – The research uses the cross-sectional method, which limits the
findings’ usefulness in other sectors.
Practical implications – The current research helps policymakers understand the key determinants of
brand hate, showing that symbolic incongruence is the primary antecedent. Therefore, policymakers and
corporate leaders should consider that Pakistan is an Islamic country where consumer choices of food are not
only derived from food quality, food hygiene and service quality, but also the symbolic image (i.e. halal food)
is a vital determinant of consumption.
Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature by discussing the above issue and presenting
quantitative data. This research extends the literature by testing and validating a conceptual model that
includes two types of congruence (symbolic and functional) to study brand hate. The proposed conceptual
model provides a novel, theoretical, self-congruity point of view on brand hate.
Keywords Self-congruity theory, Brand hate, Functional incongruity, Symbolic incongruity
Paper type Research paper
Purpose
In recent years, brand extension has become a popular and fundamental strategy of most luxury brands. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the factors that affect the success of luxury brand extensions by incorporating luxury brand value perceptions, parent brand attitude, fit perceptions and consumers’ product category involvement and innovativeness in a holistic model. The model is tested for two hypothetical luxury brand extensions types: complement and transfer.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) technique to identify the variables that combine to produce a positive or a negative attitude towards luxury brand extensions. The research was conducted on 555 young women professionals (254 for brand extension Type 1 – complement (umbrella); and 301 for brand extension type – transfer (seating furniture), respectively).
Findings
The results show that perceived fit between the parent brand and extension is a necessary condition for a positive evaluation of both extension types. Other than perceived fit, hedonic and symbolic values and consumer involvement are proven to be necessary antecedent conditions for the evaluation of transfer extensions. This study also proposes several configurations for forming a positive attitude towards each brand extension type and makes implications for luxury managers and further research.
Originality/value
The results of the research are significant in several ways. First, this study adds to the extant literature by exploring a somehow neglected subject: luxury fashion brand extensions. The study tests a more holistic model than those of previous studies on luxury brand extensions and utilises two different extension contexts adapted from Aaker and Keller (1990). Second, this study is the first to apply fsQCA to identify the factors of luxury brand extension evaluations. fsQCA is highly applicable to large-scale data without the loss of detail or the potential for complexity.
Co-branding has become an increasingly popular strategy over recent decades. Studies have found that the pre-existing attitudes to the parent brands, fit between their product categories and perceived fit in the brands themselves as important drivers of a co-brand success. Despite its importance, most studies have treated brand fit as a simple measure of complementarily and consistency. Recently, a few papers have challenged this view, suggesting that a broader range of brand attributes (such as personality, functional and hedonic characteristics, cultural meaning) should also be considered when investigating brand alliances. The current study draws on these findings, exploring the fit between partners’ brand images and how they influence perceptions of a brand alliance. We treat brand image as a multi-dimensional construct, consisting of economic, symbolic, sensory, futuristic and utilitarian elements. Using an experimental design with nine hypothetical brand pairings with 221 respondents, we find brand image fit provides greater explanatory power over a traditional unidimensional measure of brand fit, with economic, futuristic and utilitarian dimensions having a significant influence on co-brand perceptions.
Purpose
In today's marketplace, successful branding requires building strong bonds with the consumers, by creating favorable, strong and unique brand associations in consumer minds. This study aims to identify the role of functional (perceived quality) and symbolic brand associations (personality congruence and brand prestige) in creating brand loyalty in the ready‐to‐wear sector from the perspective of Generation Y consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
The research employs a structural equation modeling method based on data collected from 564 individuals born between 1977 and 1994. Turkey is chosen as the context of the study based on the fact that the ready‐to‐wear sector is one of the leading sectors in the country and about 30 percent of the population are Generation Y consumers.
Findings
The findings of the study reveal that perceived quality has a direct positive effect on brand loyalty, suggesting appearance and product quality perception are critical in the preferences of Generation Y consumers. Personality congruence and brand prestige, on the other hand, have an indirect positive effect on brand loyalty with the mediation of appearance and product quality.
Practical implications
The practitioners in the sector should devote special attention to appearance quality together with product quality, and construct a high quality and prestigious brand image with the personality traits of sincerity, competence, and excitement.
Originality/value
This study has contributions to branding, ready‐to‐wear, and Generation Y literature combining several important dimensions into a structural model, and examines the interrelationships among these dimensions as well as their effect on brand loyalty.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore brand association dimensions important to consumers of US specialty apparel brands targeting young women and develop a valid and reliable brand association scale for assessing and monitoring consumers' associations about brands in this market.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses mixed methods combining qualitative and quantitative approaches through surveys to explore and validate brand association dimensions and develop a quantitative brand association measurement.
Findings
In total, seven brand association themes were identified in the qualitative stage. Through a scale development and validation process, these themes were narrowed down to four brand association dimensions – self‐relevance, service, merchandise, and store environment – represented in a brand association scale consisting of 14 items.
Research limitations/implications
The scale developed in this study is germane to a specific market. However, the scale development procedure proposed in this study can be easily replicated to create brand association measurements for other apparel categories. Future research adopting the suggested scale development procedure may produce findings that allow for comparisons between brand association dimensions that are important in different markets.
Practical implications
This study identifies four brand association dimensions important to US specialty apparel brands and proposes a reliable and valid procedure to develop a measurement that can be used for apparel companies to track their brand associations.
Originality/value
Brand association measures developed in general marketing contexts may not be transferrable to apparel brands. This study addresses the need for developing a brand tracking measure specifically designed for the apparel industry.
Purpose
This study attempts to identify the brand personality dimensions that American firms intend to create in the mind of online consumers by using “forms of online communications” partially based on Ghose and Dou's earlier study.
Design/methodology/approach
The operational definitions of brand personality stimuli are adopted from prior research on advertising creative strategies. A content analysis was conducted on 270 web sites created by 64 American brands in the USA, UK, France, Germany and Spain.
Findings
A principal component analysis identifies five underlying dimensions of brand personality stimuli: excitement, sophistication, affection, popularity, and competence. The principal forms of online communications consist of stakeholder relations, direct/indirect sales, choice functions, connectedness, orientation, and product positioning. Multiple regression analyses confirm that there are modest but consistent associations between the intended brand personality dimensions and the forms of online communications.
Research limitations/implications
The dimensions of brand personality stimuli are intrinsically traceable from the perspective of the creative advertising appeals that multinational corporations (MNCs) attempt to employ on their web sites.
Practical implications
This study provides a practical observation relating to whether MNCs are attempting to create a uniform set of brand personality dimensions across global markets.
Originality/value
The present study contributes to the literature by its attempt to classify brand personality stimuli in terms of the cognition versus affection framework.
Structural equation modeling (SEM) has become a quasi-standard in marketing and management research when it comes to analyzing the cause-effect relations between latent constructs. For most researchers, SEM is equivalent to carrying out covariance-based SEM (CB-SEM). While marketing researchers have a basic understanding of CB-SEM, most of them are only barely familiar with the other useful approach to SEM-partial least squares SEM (PLS-SEM). The current paper reviews PLS-SEM and its algorithm, and provides an overview of when it can be most appropriately applied, indicating its potential and limitations for future research. The authors conclude that PLS-SEM path modeling, if appropriately applied, is indeed a "silver bullet" for estimating causal models in many theoretical models and empirical data situations.
A strongly articulated brand personality is germane to the success of an online branding strategy. This paper explores whether African countries communicate clear and distinctive brand personalities in cyberspace. Because of the increasing focus on the global digital dividend, it is important to discover all the ways in which African countries can benefit from the application of online technologies to improve their economic status. The study involved a multistage methodology focused on ten official websites of African countries, using a combination of computerised content and correspondence analyses. The content analysis was structured using Aaker's five-dimensional framework while the positioning maps were produced by examining the data using correspondence analysis. Results indicate that none of these countries communicates a clear and distinct brand personality. This study also illustrates a powerful but simple and relatively inexpensive way for organisations and brand researchers to study communicated brand personality.
The bubble appears to have burst in high-tech stocks — or at the very least has deflated. Investors seem to be returning to the safe long-term bets of the old-economy companies. This correction in the market is an ideal opportunity to review what has been happening to those companies that have been establishing themselves on the Net.
This paper takes a look at what lessons the new economy can learn from the old, and also how the Internet is fundamentally changing how companies manage their brands. The basic premise is that on the Internet the brand itself must be at the heart of the business strategy. The emphasis shifts from brand to ‘branded experience’, and becomes an issue for the whole company. The key principles of how to develop your brand remain the same, but the need for speed means that how you manage it will change forever.
This paper draws on the authors' extensive experience of building brands online and offline, and of aligning/integrating internal values and behaviours with external manifestation of the brand.
Consumers are increasingly shopping through multiple channels, providing opportunities to retailers who can increase profits by crossselling products through multi-channels. The objective of the study was to examine the effects of multi-channel consumers' perceived retail attributes on purchase intentions for (a) brick-and-mortar stores, (b) catalogs, and (c) the Internet. Following a pre-testing, a Computer-Assisted Telephonic Interview (CATI) was utilized for data collection with 500 multi-channel consumers. Structural equation modeling revealed that multi-channel consumers perceive important retail attributes differently across the three channels (i.e., brick-and-mortar stores, catalogs, and the Internet). Consumers perceived risks in personal security or buying private merchandise while shopping in stores. Consumers shopped clothing items via the Internet due to access to a variety of items and convenience-related attributes. Additionally, consumers who perceived higher level of cost tended to purchase clothing products through catalogs and the Internet. Managerial implications are provided for multi-channel retailers.
With the use of an on-line retailer's Web site and an experimental method with 103 university students, statistical support through path analysis was found for positive influences of optimum stimulation level (preferred level of environmental stimulation) and recreational shopping on hedonic value (trying an image-interactivity feature of an apparel Web site as a stimulating experience). The Web site's mixandmatch image interactivity feature allowed creation of visual images of product combinations. The path-analysis model revealed significant paths between hedonic value and resulting emotional pleasure and arousal variables. A pattern of significant paths was also found between these three variables and global attitude, willingness to purchase, and willingness to patronize the on-line store. Theoretical and managerial conclusions are provided. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
This article extends theory around consumer-brand relationship quality by exploring conditions under which such relationships may be transformed into exceptionally negative dispositions toward once-coveted brands. Survey and experimental results indicate that the more self-relevant a consumer-brand relationship, the more likely are anti-brand retaliatory behaviors after the relationship ends. These anti-brand behaviors are diverse: from complaining to third parties, to negative word of mouth, to illegal actions such as theft, threats, and vandalism. In contrast, post-exit consumer-brand relationships that were low in self-relevance but were high in trust, commitment, and satisfaction are less likely to result in anti-brand actions. The role of a discrete product or service failure is also explored, and results suggest that self-relevance may motivate retaliation even in the absence of a so-called critical incident. Ultimately, this research illuminates previously unexplored mechanisms—including self-conscious emotional reactions—that motivate consumer hostility and retaliation.
The predictive validity of two measurement methods of self-image congruence—traditional versus new—were compared in six studies
involving different consumer populations, products, consumption settings, and dependent variables (brand preference, preference
for product form, consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction, brand attitude, and program choice). The traditional method is based
on tapping the subject’s perception of product-user image and the subject’s perception of his/her self-image along a predetermined
set of image attributes and adding the self-congruity scores across all image dimensions. Three problems were identified and
discussed in relation to the traditional method: (1) the use of discrepancy scores, (2) the possible use of irrelevant images,
and (3) the use of the compensatory decision rule. The new method is based on tapping the psychological experience of self-congruity
directly and globally. The findings demonstrated the predictive validity of the new method over and beyond the traditional
method.
This research extends the concept of salesperson customer orientation to Internet marketing by conceptualizing and studying the effects of Web site customer orientation on perceived Web site quality and consumer behavior. This research also adapts the concept of brand/store personality to Internet marketing by investigating the effects of Web site personality on perceived Web site quality and consumer purchase intention. The model is tested on apparel Web sites using data from multiple sources. Implications of managing Web site personality and Web site customer orientation are discussed.
This study models the impact of brand extensions on parent brand attitudes. The article is positioned around a holistic framework, enabling four major new contributions. First, it explains inter-relationships among major determinants of feedback. Second, it presents a rank-order of major determinants of feedback. Third, it presents a fresh perspective on the integrating role of fit. Fourth, it models the effect specifically on the change in parent brand attitude. A further contribution is a first-of-its-kind application to India. Results indicate that the two strongest effects on brand extension feedback were perceived fit and parent brand image. The article outlines four principles for effective brand extension design and communication strategy. A precondition for launching a brand extension is a strong parent brand. Once this condition is met, the design as well as the communication strategy of the brand extension should emphasize the fit with the parent using appropriate brand elements. Positive attitudes towards the extension per se should be developed to create added value perceptions for consumers. Yes Yes
Integrated marketing communication (IMC) has emerged as a new concept in marketing in the 21st century. IMC is mostly thought of, taught and written about as simply the integration of advertising and promotional activities. However, this paper proposes IMC as a broader concept. It is more than a process or activity within an organisation: it is a system of belief or engagement, embedded in an organisation's culture, underpinned by communication and driven by technology and senior management. We identify seven major tenets of the integrated view of marketing communication within the IMC literature, and argue that early marketing concepts of the 20th century are no longer valid. IMC can be seen as a new paradigm in marketing, equipped with central concepts that apply to many business environments.
Research indicates that messages or products matching individuals' self-schemata are viewed more favorably, but little is known about how or when such effects occur. Experiment 1 indicates that messages matched to participants' level of extroversion lead to larger argument quality effects on attitudes than do mismatched messages. In experiment 2, these effects are replicated with the self-schema of need for cognition. Across studies, matching messages to recipients' self-schemata leads to increased or decreased persuasion, depending on the advertisement's argument quality. The interaction of self-schema matching with argument quality along with participants' pattern of cognitive responses suggests an elaboration-based account. (c) 2005 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..
Purpose
Although India is home to the world’s largest millennial population, so far, hardly any studies exist that explain the key drivers leading to the luxury goods consumption among this generational cohort. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to develop and empirically test the conceptual framework designed to measure the relationship between luxury value perceptions and purchase intentions among the young Indian luxury consumers, and, second, to examine the moderating effect of gender in the relationship between luxury value perceptions and purchase intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
A purposive sampling technique was employed to collect the data from young luxury fashion consumers. Statistical tests including confirmatory factor analysis, multi-group analysis and structural equation modeling were applied for data analysis.
Findings
The findings show that the conspicuous value is the most significant determinant of luxury purchase intention followed by the experiential value, susceptibility to normative influence and utilitarian value. The uniqueness value was found to have weak relationship with purchase intention. Furthermore, results revealed that the relationship between the luxury values and the luxury buying intentions does not vary significantly between male and female.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies that provides meaningful insights to the academicians and marketing practitioners about why millennials buy luxury fashion brands in emerging markets like India.
This study examines how the interplay among crisis involvement, brand image, and message appeal impacts the effectiveness of an apology in the context of a corporate crisis. To determine apology effectiveness, a 2 (crisis involvement: high vs. low) × 2 (brand image: symbolic vs. functional) × 2 (message appeal type: emotional vs. informational) experimental design was employed. The results demonstrate that the three-way interaction is significant, especially in the low-crisis involvement condition. The study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research.
Although a considerable amount of research in personality psychology has been done to conceptualize human personality, identify the “Big Five” dimensions, and explore the meaning of each dimension, no parallel research has been conducted in consumer behavior on brand personality. Consequently, an understanding of the symbolic use of brands has been limited in the consumer behavior literature. In this research, the author develops a theoretical framework of the brand personality construct by determining the number and nature of dimensions of brand personality (Sincerity, Excitement, Competence, Sophistication, and Ruggedness). To measure the five brand personality dimensions, a reliable, valid, and generalizable measurement scale is created. Finally, theoretical and practical implications regarding the symbolic use of brands are discussed.
The author presents a conceptual model of brand equity from the perspective of the individual consumer. Customer-based brand equity is defined as the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand. A brand is said to have positive (negative) customer-based brand equity when consumers react more (less) favorably to an element of the marketing mix for the brand than they do to the same marketing mix element when it is attributed to a fictitiously named or unnamed version of the product or service. Brand knowledge is conceptualized according to an associative network memory model in terms of two components, brand awareness and brand image (i.e., a set of brand associations). Customer-based brand equity occurs when the consumer is familiar with the brand and holds some favorable, strong, and unique brand associations in memory. Issues in building, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity are discussed, as well as areas for future research.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influences of brand personality on consumer behavior, with a special emphasis on the brand love construct. The aim is to expand upon existing literature in the field of branding, investigating the relationship between brand love and brand personality through experiential approaches to consumer behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual model and the analysis of related hypotheses were based on a sample of 478 Portuguese clothing brand consumers. The data were collected using an online survey and the data analysis was done using the structural equations modeling.
Findings
The results show that brand personality has a positive and significant impact on brand love, resistance to negative information and self-disclosure and brand love has a positive and significant impact on brand loyalty, word-of-mouth, resistance to negative information, willingness to pay more, self-disclosure and active engagement.
Research limitations/implications
This study has some methodological limitation affecting its potential contributions. This investigation has a cross-sectional nature and only tested a few variables as consequences of brand personality.
Practical implications
This investigation provides evidence of the major impacts of both brand personality and brand love, showing how they combine to boost relevant outcomes like brand loyalty, WOW, willingness to pay more, resistance to negative information, self-disclosure or active engagement.
Originality/value
The originality of this research is related to three fundamental aspects: it is the first time the relationship between brand personality and brand love is tested using second-order modeling to capture the combined effects of all dimensions of brand personality; the influence of brand personality is usually related to attitudes (e.g. word-of-mouth, willingness to pay more, etc.) and not with feelings, such as love, the most powerful feeling that can be established between two people or between a person and a brand (in the case of brand love); and the authors tested brand love by linking brand personality and some traditional relational outcomes under the assumption that brand love can strengthen such relationships.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of a fashion company with multiple brands. In particular, the aim is to determine the differences in the impact of corporate-level and brand-level CSR.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected using an online survey from the consumer panel of a marketing research firm in South Korea. The subjects were presented with the following stimuli of a fashion company with multiple brands: describing corporate-level CSR activities of a company (n=109) and describing brand-level CSR activities of a company (n=113). After processing the information, the participants were asked to evaluate their reciprocity perception, corporate image, brand image, and purchase intention.
Findings
Regarding corporate-level CSR, participants’ reciprocity perception positively and directly affected purchase intention. It also positively affected corporate image, and corporate image affected brand image, and brand image positively affected purchase intention. Regarding brand-level CSR, reciprocity perception did not affect purchase intention directly, but positively affected purchase intention through mediation of corporate image. This study found a construct where reciprocity perception influences purchase intention with a mediating role of corporate image and brand image. The effect of reciprocity perception shaped by corporate-level CSR is greater than that shaped by brand-level CSR.
Originality/value
The outcome of this study provides meaningful insights and practical implications for companies that have multiple brands.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how congruence influences product evaluations in an international Latin culture context, as moderated by the public vs private nature of the product and user-image vs product-personality congruence.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants were recruited from two universities in Spanish-speaking, Latin cultures: Spain – Latin Europe (n=340) and Uruguay – Latin America (n=400). All participants were asked to indicate product-personality congruence (i.e. congruence between one’s self and the product) and user-image congruence (i.e. congruence between a product’s typical user and the product) for two private and two public products.
Findings
Two types of congruence (product-personality and user-image) positively influence brand evaluations more for publicly consumed than for privately consumed brands for consumers in both Latin cultures, with effect sizes being greater than prior research in other cultures.
Research limitations/implications
This research supports congruence theory in showing that similarity between a consumer and a brand leads to more favorable attitudes. Limitations include the sole use of student subjects and examination in only two countries of Latin culture.
Practical implications
Regardless of a brand’s personality, brands should seek consumers with similar personality traits, especially in Latin cultures.
Originality/value
This research addresses several limitations in prior research by examining both publicly and privately consumed products in one study, exploring congruence across Latin cultures, and testing products not confounded by addictive properties.
This study examines differences in luxury value perceptions and their influence on luxury purchase intentions among collectivists and individualists. According to empirical evidence from 1,608 responses to the Brand Luxury Index (BLI), collectivists have stronger perceptions of price-controlled values (i.e., conspicuousness, high quality). Conspicuousness negatively affects luxury purchase intentions among individualists but not among collectivists. High quality positively impacts luxury purchase intentions among collectivists but not among individualists. Hedonism (a consumer-driven luxury value) plays an important role in luxury purchase intentions among individualists. Moreover, a multi-group analysis confirms the differences between the two cultural groups. The extended-self is a universal luxury-value perception on luxury purchase intentions for both groups. Additionally, subjective norms strongly influence luxury purchase intentions in both cultures. Furthermore, the results show that there is a difference in the impact of the uniqueness value on luxury purchase intentions between women and men.
Purpose
This paper explores the antecedents and consequences of consumers’ need for self-image congruence on their retail patronage of department (high-end) and discount (low-end) stores to purchase name-brand products in two product categories, apparel and home décor. It also compared online to offline shopping and considered two mediator variables, frugality and materialism.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyzed the hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM) and MANOVA. Study 1 suggested the model using secondary data, and Study 2 measured and confirmed the relationships using scenario-based online survey data. An MANOVA test was used to compare the shopping behavior of consumers with high and low need for self-image congruence.
Findings
A strong causal link was found between concern with appearance and need for self-image congruence, and a positive relationship between need for self-image congruence and high- and low-end retail store patronage offline and online. While the group with high (vs low) need for self-image congruence was more likely to patronize department stores, unexpectedly, both the high and low self-image congruence groups were equally likely to shop at discount stores.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that marketing messages focusing on concern for appearance may succeed by tapping into consumers’ need for self-image congruence with brand product/retail store images. Results also showed that consumers with high self-image congruence often patronize discount retail stores, suggesting marketing opportunities for low-end retailers.
Originality/value
Because consumers with high need for self-image congruence patronize both department and discount stores, it is suggested that self-image congruity may be multi-dimensional. The current study is also the first to examine structural relationships to test patronage behavior between department and discount stores offline and online.
The present study aims to understand the impact of congruence between brand and celebrity personality on consumers attitude and purchase intentions. The data were collected from 382 business school students in India. Drawing from the theoretical frameworks of Attribution theory, Attitude theory, User imagery, Elaboration Likelihood Model, and match-up hypothesis, results reveals that congruence between celebrity and brand personality positively impacts the brand recall, brand associations, and reinforces the brand personality. Which favorably and significantly impacted attitude toward the advertisement and brand. Attitude toward brand has positively impacted purchase intention. ‘Brand personality self-image congruence’ and ‘involvement level with the brand’ were found to moderate the impact of brand association and brand personality reinforcement on attitude toward advertisements and brand. The paper provides practical implications for the advertisement agencies and media managers.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of actual and ideal congruity in predicting the repurchase intentions of young women in relation to inconspicuous fashion items.
Design/methodology/approach
The research focussed on a non-luxury intimate apparel brand, typical of daily use and private consumption. Regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 308 young female consumers to identify the effect of actual and ideal congruity in determining repurchase intentions. A cluster analysis based on actual self-concept was employed to develop a typology for consumers.
Findings
Unexpectedly, the findings revealed that ideal congruity is a stronger predictor of repurchase intentions than actual congruity. Further, based on actual self-concept, three profiles of young women emerged: active romantics, self-assureds and reliables. The clusters differed in relation to perceptions of brand personality and the effect of self-congruity on repurchase intentions.
Research limitations/implications
This study was conducted using participants from one university in Northern Italy. Thus, the main limitations of this study relate to sample size and selection. Additionally, this study only investigated the perceptions of young women.
Practical implications
This study suggests that non-luxury intimate apparel items, typical of daily use, are not merely functional purchases, but reflect young women’s self-expression motives. Accordingly, fashion marketers should focus on consumers’ ideal self-concepts to develop effective promotion strategies. Further, specific dimensions of brand personality should be considered in relation to the different clusters.
Originality/value
This study shows that repurchase intentions towards inconspicuous non-luxury fashion items are explained more by self-esteem motives (i.e. ideal congruity) than self-consistency motives (i.e. actual congruity).
The purpose of this study is to discuss the concepts of brand identity and brand image from a brand extension perspective in the higher education sector. It addresses how consumers identify and transfer the parent university's brand identity into the extended brand image of an international satellite branch, and further explores the underlying causes of the backward reciprocal transfer from the extension to parent brand. The interview results reveal that the identity–image linkage is influenced by consumers' perceived congruence and legitimacy of the brand extension. Other than the impact of functional, symbolic, and self-image congruence between the parent brand and extension, the main factors of extension legitimacy are: regulative legitimacy, brand extension authenticity, desirable values to audiences, and cultural adaptation. The findings also suggest the importance of marketing exposure, exploitation avoidance, and resource transfer in enhancing the reciprocal influence of the extended brand image on the parent brand.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of functional (perceived quality) and symbolic (personality congruence, user imagery congruence, brand prestige and brand tribalism) brand associations in attitude and brand loyalty of Generation Y’s consumers towards two categories of luxury fashion brands.
Design/methodology/approach
– A structural equation modeling method is employed in this research based on data collected from 450 individuals born between 1977 and 1994 in Iran. Watches and sunglasses are two luxury product categories chosen in this study.
Findings
– The findings of the study reveal that perceived quality is the better predictor of brand attitude and brand loyalty. Personality congruence (mediated by perceived brand quality), brand prestige (mediated by perceived brand quality and brand attitude) and brand tribalism (mediated by brand attitude) have an indirect positive effect on brand loyalty.
Research limitations/implications
– Due to the historical delay in the entrance and publicity of modern information and communication technologies in Iran compared with the western societies, the studied generation in this paper might not be completely conformed to the mentioned characteristics of Generation Y in terms of using media.
Originality/value
– This study combines consumer-based and community approaches of creation and management of brand to examine loyalty towards luxury fashion brands in Generation Y’s consumers as an attractive segment for luxury brands.
Marketing managers face increasing demands for effectiveness measurement including more rigorous assessment of the match between marketing communication objectives and results. This study provides an analysis of current objective-setting practices and a comparison with past industry practices by applying a traditional communication task model to marketing communications award competition entries. The results indicate that there is still room for improvement in communication objective-setting practices. Suggestions for improving these practices include (1) making a commitment to assessment, (2) offering actionable objective-setting education, (3) increasing attention to the impact of new media, and (4) expanding the role of agencies. The authors conclude that the study of the objectives and results aspect of marketing communication management will create new opportunities for integrated marketing communications scholars and practitioners to increase the effectiveness of promotional activities.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore female fashion shoppers’ perception and response to the mall environment. Specific objectives include a conceptual model of female fashion shoppers’ experience in a mall environment incorporating fashion orientation, store personality, shopping mall perception, shopping value, and patronage intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
– Empirical testing is done with a latent path structural equation model. Data collection was carried out in a firmly controlled mall intercept survey which produced 312 usable questionnaires.
Findings
– Results show that shoppers’ fashion orientation hypothesized to be a personality trait is not an antecedent to the perception of the mall environment. Instead, fashion orientation moderates the perception of product and service quality, hedonic shoppers’ response, and patronage intentions. The perceived mall personality has a focussed impact on the perception of product and service quality. The mall’s sophistication image influences the perception of product quality. On the other hand, the mall’s enthusiasm image atmosphere affects the perception of service quality. Perceptions of product and service quality are correlated and trigger positive hedonic and utilitarian shopping benefits.
Research limitations/implications
– Because findings from this study cannot be generalized to other situations, the research should be replicated to a variety of mall formats and shopper segments. Furthermore, other fashion-orientation factors (fashion leadership, fashion interest, and anti-fashion attitude) should be considered. However, along with model complexities, increased sample sizes are also required. Future studies may also include male shoppers to investigate differences in fashion motivation and mall shopping experience.
Practical implications
– It is concluded that the person-place congruency theory is confirmed and that the shoppers’ fashion orientation should be included in the set of segmentation variables. Shopping malls cannot be everything to everyone without risking diluting their image. Downtown urban malls have the opportunity to adopt a well-defined positioning in order to differentiate themselves. Large suburban malls should partition themselves to remove image ambiguities. Mall managers must primarily work on the “meaning” of the mall atmosphere rather “mood.” Fashion shoppers are task oriented. Mall managers should design malls to facilitate the shopping experience with highly functional designs, simple layout, and clear signage in support of wayfinding.
Originality/value
– Although fashion consumers have been studied from diverse perspectives, there is limited research on the experience of fashion shoppers in a mall setting. This study partly fills this gap in the literature by investigating how female fashion shoppers respond to the shopping center environment and commit to mall patronage.
The purposes of this study was to examine the relationships among body-related self-discrepancy, body dissatisfaction, apparel involvement, concerns with fit and size of garments, and purchase intentions based on self-discrepancy theory. A random sample of college female students (n = 348) was drawn from a Midwestern university. The data was collected using a web-based survey. A hypothesized model was tested using the SEM technique. The results indicated that consumers’ perceived body-related self-discrepancy from online models had a direct relationship with body dissatisfaction. Consumers with higher enduring apparel involvement tended to feel a higher degree of body dissatisfaction. Body dissatisfaction was positively related to five concerns with fit and size of garment dimensions. Enduring apparel involvement was negatively related to concerns with overall appearance and concerns with imagining fit/size in online shopping. Finally, two of the concerns with fit and size of garment dimensions (concerns with overall appearance and concerns with imagining fit/size in online shopping) were negatively related to purchase intentions.
This study tested the predictability of modified Fishbein’s behavioral intentions model in the context of online shopping for clothing. Specifically, the study examined the relative importance of attitude and subjective norm in influencing consumer intention to shop for clothing online. A mailing survey was conducted with 303 adults who had a computer at home and had access to the Internet in the United States. Data were analyzed to estimate the behavioral intention model of online shopping (i.e., measurement model and structural model). Attitude toward online shopping was composed of two factors: product and convenience and service. The results supported the modified behavioral intentions model; both attitude and subjective norm influenced behavioral intention. Implications are drawn for online retailers of clothing.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of fit, familiarity, perceived quality and attitude towards the brand on product brand image after an extension and also to examine whether the product image of a brand is diluted as a result of brand extension.
Design/methodology/approach
The model adopted for the study is based on that developed by Martinez and de Chernatony. A questionnaire consisting of seven constructs (general brand image, product brand image, quality, familiarity, fit, attitude, and demographic characteristics) was administered to 474 respondents. Convenience sampling and face‐to‐face survey methods were used. The brands and extensions used in the study were the same as in the Martinez and de Chernatony study. The difference between these two studies is that, while Martinez and de Chernatony have investigated the effects of brand extension on both general brand image and product brand image, in this study general brand image is examined only before the extensions in order to compare the two brands. The results of the pre‐tests showed that Turkish consumers could not assess the effects of hypothetical extensions on the general brand image. Therefore, as for the effects of brand extensions, only the product brand image after the extension is investigated.
Findings
The results show that brand extensions affect the product brand image negatively, whereas the fit between the parent and extension brands decreases the negative effect. The drop of image as a result of extension is greater when the perceived image and quality of the parent brand are higher. Perceived quality of the brand, consumers' brand familiarity, fit perceived by the consumer, consumers' attitudes towards the extension have a positive effect on the product brand image after the extension.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the sample size and sampling method, the study has its own limitations in terms of external validity. In addition, only two brands and two extensions were tested and the extensions used were hypothetical, which may lead to a lack of generalizability.
Practical implications
The higher the image of a brand, the more the dilution that occurs, which means that companies should take caution when extending into different product categories.
Originality/value
The study is one of the very few research efforts conducted in the Turkish market concerning brand extensions and the sample used in the research consists of consumers rather than students.
Two experiments were conducted to disentangle reciprocal relationships between multichannel retailers’ offline and online brand images. Results support the cross-channel effect of prior offline brand image on online brand beliefs (biased assimilation) and that of online performance on offline brand beliefs (impact). Consumers’ online and offline brand attitudes were influenced by not only brand beliefs from the respective channel but also by beliefs from the other channel. But, strong prior offline brand image was found to mitigate the impact of online performance on offline brand beliefs in the presence of negative online performance (impact minimization) as a way to eliminate cognitive dissonance.
Purpose
This study seeks to develop previous research into value branding by investigating potential misalignments between brand identity as intended by the brand owner, and the way in which the brand image is perceived by young consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
Kapferer's model was used to create a detailed brand identity for a value fashion brand. A survey of 150 business students provided a map to identify any gaps between the intended and perceived brand image. Theoretical concepts underpinning the paper include value branding and the relationship between brand identity and brand image.
Findings
A marked difference was observed in the way in which value brands are intended and how they are perceived; these misalignments may have significant implications. In particular, young consumers' perceptions of value brands' fashion content could create barriers during decision making. However, the relationship facet indicates potential for developing lifelong loyalty from the sample.
Research limitations/implications
The research provided a visual map of perceived brand image to allow comparison between identity and image. A longitudinal study could identify how attitudes might change throughout the purchasing life of the sample group.
Practical implications
It was found that the brand owner needed to develop and effectively communicate the reflection element of brand identity to improve the perception of how the typical customer is viewed by others.
Originality/value
The relationship between brand identity and brand image is particularly important in the value fashion sector. Although some research has been undertaken in this field, it mainly relates to how corporate brands are perceived, while this study focuses on the product level.
Despite the fact that the functional value of luxury brands is usually not significantly higher than those of
non-luxury brands, luxury brands can achieve significant price premiums in the market over non-luxury
brands. Additionally, in a majority of markets and product categories, the price for female luxury brands is
significantly higher compared to their male counterparts. These differences might result from a higher
perceived symbolic and social value of such luxury brands that have traditionally been more important for
women than for men. Two experimental studies and one survey study in three product categories (i.e.,
clothing, perfumes, and wristwatches) in the Western culture show that, overall, women have a more
positive attitude toward and a higher purchase intention of luxury brands versus non-luxury brands than
men. Additionally, for female consumers, luxury brands provide more uniqueness, status and hedonic
value than non-luxury brands. Important implications for marketing theory and practice can be derived.
Marketers should use uniqueness claims in their advertising copy and differentiate in their product designs
between male and female target groups.
The personification approach (eg customers view company name as a person) has been commonly used to understand corporate brand image. Studies in the past using this approach were conducted, however, in the `bricks and mortar' environment. Since the virtual environment differs from that of bricks and mortar, particularly in the absence of buildings and people, recent literatures question whether existing measures are still applicable in this context. The present study thus uses this approach to understand the corporate brand image in a strictly online setting. The research enquiry seeks to address explicitly whether a company that exists only in a virtual environment could indeed be seen as a person. The research investigates the corporate brand image of a book retailer that sells exclusively online. The research is informed by 511 responses from experienced customers of the bookstore. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify the brand images. The findings show that while the `Informality' dimension has been commonly found as a weak factor in an offline context in the past, it has been indicated as a strong dimension in the present research setting. Furthermore, the previous research has consistently shown that the corporate brand image in a bricks and mortar environment is more likely to relate to consumer behaviour (loyalty) via consumer satisfaction. Interestingly, the present research discovers that corporate brand image can also have a direct positive relationship with consumer loyalty. The implications to brand image are discussed.Journal of Brand Management (2008) 16, 119-144. doi:10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550137; published online 14 December 2007
This paper deals with the effects of perceived quality, perceived fit and perceived difficulty, and interaction between perceived quality and fit on consumer evaluations of brand extension. We used multi-item scales to measure these constructs. Data were analysed via structural equation models. Results show that both perceived quality and perceived fit have direct positive effects on consumer evaluation of extensions. We find support for the chance of transferring the positive values of a brand to an extension is greater when consumers see the extension as a good fit with the original brand and the original brand is considered as of high quality.
Avatars are lifelike characters created by technology. Research suggests that avatars can increase the persuasiveness of online sales channels. The authors investigate how the social cues inherent in avatars influence consumers' affect and shopping value. In Study 1, social cues induce perceptions of Web site socialness, leading to increased pleasure and arousal, both of which positively influence flow, hedonic and utilitarian value, and patronage intentions. Study 2 finds that social cue–induced arousal leads to increased pleasure only for consumers who are involved with the product category. Moreover, the influence of arousal on hedonic value is stronger for women, flow does not lead to pleasure for older consumers, and utilitarian value is less important for this group than for their younger counterparts. The findings suggest that there is a competitive advantage for online retailers that use social cues that provide consumers with enhanced perceptions of human connection and the formation of emotional bonds.
The objective of this research study was to develop a scale for measuring store personality and to assess its psychometric properties. A preliminary study showed that store personality comprised five dimensions, termed sophistication, solidity, genuineness, enthusiasm, and unpleasantness. A follow-up survey with 226 adult consumers confirmed the stability of the factorial structure of the 34-item store-personality scale as well as the reliability of each composite dimension. Some empirical evidence was gathered with respect to the scale's construct validity, because the proposed store-personality scale was shown to behave in a manner consistent with self-image congruence theory. Additional analyses revealed that a reduced scale including 20 items exhibited factorial stability and resulted in reliable measures of the five store-personality dimensions. Finally, some empirical support was obtained in favor of using the proposed scale across different retail settings. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How well the cause fits with the brand or is congruent has been assumed to be an important variable when selecting a cause partner. This study assesses if consumers’ perceptions of the fit between a cause and a brand has a differential impact on attitudes and purchase intentions when the credibility of a firm is low, moderate, or high. A 2 × 3 experimental design which manipulated cause fit and corporate credibility was conducted. Results show that the fit between the cause and the brand does not affect perceptions of attitudes or purchase intentions regardless of the company's level of credibility. The findings suggest that perceptions of corporate credibility may be too complex for one variable such as the fit of a cause–brand alliance to have a strong effect. Thus, marketers may need to rethink fit as a necessary selection criterion for a CBA depending on what their objectives are.
This article examines two factors that differentiate between successful and unsuccessful brand extensions: product feature similarity and brand concept consistency. The results reveal that, in identifying brand extensions, consumers take into account not only information about the product-level feature similarity between the new product and the products already associated with the brand, but also the concept consistency between the brand concept and the extension. For both function-oriented and prestige-oriented brand names, the most favorable reactions occur when brand extensions are made with high brand concept consistency and high product feature similarity. In addition, the relative impact of these two factors differs to some extent, depending on the nature of the brand-name concept. When a brand's concept is consistent with those of its extension products, the prestige brand seems to have greater extendibility to products with low feature similarity than the functional brand does. Copyright 1991 by the University of Chicago.
Phase transitoire du cycle de vie, l’adolescence se caractérise par une période de construction de l’identité. En permettant aux individus de transmettre un message sur soi aux autres, la consommation symbolique participe à la construction identitaire des 12-18 ans. Afin d’optimiser les campagnes publicitaires à leur intention, il convient alors de déterminer les capacités respectives de la marque et du produit à véhiculer les signes que les adolescents souhaitent diffuser auprès des tiers. Ce papier apporte des éléments de réponse à cette problématique grâce à la présentation d’un cadre théorique et des résultats d’une étude qualitative et d’une étude quantitative menées respectivement auprès de 12 et de 208 adolescents.
The impact of sponsor fit on brand equity: the case of nonprofit service providers
Gender, fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership, and need for touch
The role of brand image congruity in Chinese consumers' brand preference