The Role of Brand and Fan Personalities in Building Fan-Brand Relationships

Football fans are consumers with special relationship with their favourite teams. Consumer-brand relationship is unique and ultimate in football context. However, the absence of these relationships is mainly due to a lack of communication and interaction. This research aims to investigate the impact of brand personality and fan personality on fan- brand relationships. Mixed methods were conducted that employed in-depth personal interviews with football professionals and fans to gain better insights regarding consumer-brand relationships and to develop a conceptual framework and research hypotheses. Then, a quantitative phase has been followed to test these hypotheses. 471 valid questionnaires were collected through a non-probability convenience sampling technique from Egyptian football fans. The findings have shown that brand personality and fan personality have a positive impact on each of interdependence, commitment, partner quality, self-connection, nostalgic attachment, intimacy as consumer-brand relationship dimensions in the football context.

PEMANFAATAN WADAH BERBAGI PENGETAHUAN DAN KUALITAS MEREK TERHADAP PERILAKU LOYALITAS KONSUMEN

In this study, a brand of herbal medicine called Red Kank (cancer suppression) which was originally described strongly as a cancer reducer but has now evolved into something more than cancer-fighting products, such as health and beauty products. This strategic step has not been able to answer whether it leads to the company's success, but it opens the possibility to assess the quality of brand relationships, use of knowledge sharing platforms and their impact on consumer loyalty behavior Red Kank. Primary data were collected using purposive sampling technique from customers in Jakarta, Bekasi, Surabaya and Balikpapan. The results were then run with lisrel 8.7 and analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Statistical results show that the quality of the brand relationship is closely related to the image of the quality of the product itself. Therefore, the company's strategy to diversify, begins with increasing understanding of product brands to become company brands.

Global vs local: analysis of the consumer-brand relationships in India

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze two global brands (i.e. Benetton and Tommy Hilfiger) and one Indian brand (i.e. Wills Lifestyle) in terms of general brand impression, brand specific associations and brand commitment. In addition, the study investigates how the regional differences in India and Indian consumers' affinity towards global brands influence the consumer-brand relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe research framework has been developed based on consumer-brand relationship theory. The consumer–brand relationship is an important indicator of the success of brands, especially when brands attempt to expand to other markets (Roper and Parker, 2006; Bastos and Levy, 2012). Three brand types were chosen for this study. The choice of the US global brand is Tommy Hilfiger, the European global brand is United Colors of Benetton, and the Indian domestic brand is Wills Lifestyle. The study utilized a repeated measure (split-plot) design involving more than two independent groups. A split-plot analysis of variance analyses a design in which a repeated measure (i.e. within subjects) factor is crossed with a between-subjects (i.e. treatment variable) factor.FindingsThe results confirm the importance of global brands over local brands in the Indian apparel consumer market. This study also examined how Indian consumers' affinity for global brands influences their evaluation of the global brands and the local Indian brands.Originality/valueThe study expands the literature on Indian consumer brand preferences through the investigation of three brands. The theoretical background of the study is the consumer-brand relationship theory that explains the importance of consumer–brand relationship when brands attempt to expand to other markets.

Oxytocin increases perceived competence and social-emotional engagement with brands

Humans express loyalty to consumer brands much like they do in human relationships. The neuroactive chemical oxytocin is an important biological substrate of human attachment and this study tested whether consumer-brand relationships can be influenced by oxytocin administration. We present a mathematical model of brand attachment that generates empirically-testable hypotheses. The model is tested by administering synthetic oxytocin or placebo to male and female participants (N = 77) who received information about brands and had an opportunity to purchase branded products. We focused on two brand personality dimensions: warmth and competence. Oxytocin increased perceptions of brand competence but not brand warmth relative to placebo. We also found that participants were willing to pay more for branded products through its effect on brand competence. When writing about one’s favorite brands, oxytocin enhanced the use of positive emotional language as well as words related to family and friends. These findings provide preliminary evidence that consumers build relationships with brands using the biological mechanisms that evolved to form human attachments.

The Development and Maintenance of Customer Relationships through Communication: a Consumer Perspective

<p>Consumers increasingly control their relationships with brands, including how and with whom they choose to communicate. Bringing together elements of relationship marketing and brand theory, this research examines the process by which consumers form brand relationships. Results highlight the influence of advertising and social networking upon relationships, and confirm that a consumer’s connection with a brand impacts brand performance. In doing so the manner in which customer relationships are developed and maintained from a consumer perspective is identified, as well as the benefits of relationships for brand owners. This thesis focuses on customer relationships from a consumer perspective. Specifically, it examines the process by which individual consumers build and maintain relationships with brands through communication. Bringing together elements of relationship marketing and branding theory, the underlying purpose is to identify key factors influencing a consumer’s perceived relationship with a brand and determine their measurement. The literature suggests that individual consumers form a connection with brands, seeing them as relationship partners (Fournier, 1998). They do so to varying extents, depending on the brand. The relevance of a brand to a consumer, therefore, extends further than brand image or the signals associated with a brand. Relationships between consumers and brands involve an emotional connection. A consumer’s perceived connection with a brand then influences the manner in which they behave regarding that brand ...</p>

The Development and Maintenance of Customer Relationships through Communication: a Consumer Perspective

<p>Consumers increasingly control their relationships with brands, including how and with whom they choose to communicate. Bringing together elements of relationship marketing and brand theory, this research examines the process by which consumers form brand relationships. Results highlight the influence of advertising and social networking upon relationships, and confirm that a consumer’s connection with a brand impacts brand performance. In doing so the manner in which customer relationships are developed and maintained from a consumer perspective is identified, as well as the benefits of relationships for brand owners. This thesis focuses on customer relationships from a consumer perspective. Specifically, it examines the process by which individual consumers build and maintain relationships with brands through communication. Bringing together elements of relationship marketing and branding theory, the underlying purpose is to identify key factors influencing a consumer’s perceived relationship with a brand and determine their measurement. The literature suggests that individual consumers form a connection with brands, seeing them as relationship partners (Fournier, 1998). They do so to varying extents, depending on the brand. The relevance of a brand to a consumer, therefore, extends further than brand image or the signals associated with a brand. Relationships between consumers and brands involve an emotional connection. A consumer’s perceived connection with a brand then influences the manner in which they behave regarding that brand ...</p>

A Receiver Perspective on Knowledge Sharing Impact on Consumer–Brand Relationship in Virtual Communities

The virtual community offers groups of consumers a knowledge-shared platform, wherein shared brand information influences the brand cognition of others. Using stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model, this study constructs a research framework for the influence of knowledge sharing on consumer–brand relationship in virtual communities. The empirical analysis shows that knowledge-sharing quality has significant positive effects on the sense of virtual community, as does the sense of virtual community on the consumer–brand relationships. This study supports the strengthening of consumer–brand relationships and the enrichment of following research on knowledge sharing of the consumer in virtual communities. Thus, companies should encourage consumers to actively participate in brand activities and focus on the development of consumer–brand relationships during participation in brand promotion.

Forget-me-not? Using Immersive Technologies in Brand-building Communication Processes: An Exploratory Study in the Mexican Context

New immersive technologies (NITs) can be an ally or a rival when it comes to brand relationships. Given the multiplicity of options, marketers need to understand their customers also as audiences seeking experiences. However, such experiences need to exist within a company’s digital ecosystem. This study presents an analysis of six companies that have used NITs to varying degrees. We propose a framework in which more cases of NIT usage in companies can be studied. We conclude that the more the initiatives come from a company’s top-management overall ecosystem transformation, the more likely NIT adoption will fit into a general strategy for a brand-strengthening process and the more it will be effective. This exploratory analysis opens up a path for building new frameworks to measure a company’s degree of involvement with and usage of interactive technologies.

The effects of advertising ethnic cues on brand love, brand attachment and attitude toward the brand

Purpose In this paper, two studies examine the effects of Hispanic-targeted ads on three consumer-brand relationships (i.e. brand love, brand attachment and attitude toward the brand) and their behavioral outcomes. Additionally, this paper aims to examine how product involvement moderates these effects. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 demonstrates the linkages between three consumer–brand relationships (i.e. brand love, brand attachment and attitude toward the brand) and their antecedents. In Study 2, by testing the nomological network of the antecedents and consequences of brand love, the authors extend the results of the previous study. Findings Study 1 provides evidence that ethnic advertising has the strongest effect on brand love in comparison with other alternative consumer-brand relationship constructs. In Study 2, results show that only for low-involvement products, the perceived similarity of customers with Hispanic models in ads could lead to a higher positive attitude toward the ad. However, in the high-involvement condition, perceived similarity did not mediate the relationship between those constructs, which is in line with Elaboration Likelihood Model. Practical implications From the practical and managerial perspective, this paper proposes that managers should concentrate on ads with ethnic cues, especially for low involvement products. Hence, it would be worthwhile for companies to consider ads with ethnic cues to effectively develop deep consumer–brand relationships. Originality/value This paper investigates the effects of targeted ads on deeper relationships (e.g. brand love) and its behavioral consequences. Therefore, the authors show how Hispanic targeted ads could lead to deep consumer–brand relationships which encompass both the mind and heart of customers.

Stimulating Customer Inspiration Through Online Brand Community Climates: The Mediating Role of Customer Interaction

This study examines the impacts of the online brand community (OBC) climate on customer interaction and customer inspiration, which are yet under-explored in the extant literature. The data were collected online from the Chinese respondents (N = 504) to analyze the proposed constructs of the study. Findings show that supportive OBC climate and controlled OBC climate are positively related to customer interaction (including information interaction and social interaction) and exert a significant and positive impact on customer inspiration. A mediating impact of customer interaction is found on the relationship between OBC climate and customer inspiration. This study unravels the importance and mechanism of customer-brand relationships in the online environment and illuminates pathways for marketers and policymakers to positively influence customer inspiration for business promotion. This study updates existing literature boxes of consumer behavior and marketing in the context of online customer-brand relationships. Limitations and future research directions are noted.