The Effect of Brand Personality on Brand Relationship, Attitude and Purchase Intention with a Focus on Brand Community

Abstract

ABSTRACTIt is very important for marketers to manage brand personalities effectively. As brand personalities affect a consumer-brand relationship and attitude related to the brand positively or negatively. A brand personality can project five attributes : sincere, exciting, strong, sophistication, cute.In this research, we investigate which brand personalities affect consumer-brand relationships and brand attitudes. According to this research, sincere and cute brand personalities affect consumer-brand relationships (composed of brand trust and brand commitment) and brand attitudes positively. Strong and exciting brand personalities affect consumer-brand relationships and brand attitudes negatively. A sophistication brand personality does not affect consumer-brand relationships and brand attitudes.Considering participation by the virtual brand community, we examine whether or not brand personalities affect consumer-brand relationships and brand attitudes changes. A consumer-brand relationship is affected participation in the brand community, but a brand attitude is not affected by participation in the brand community. When consumers participate in the brand community, brand personalities affect consumer-brand relationships, but brand personalities don ' t affect brand attitudes.In this study, we suggest that not all brand personalities can effectively promote a consumer-brand relationship and a brand attitude. According to the purpose of a firm or a brand, marketers should manage brand personality strategies selectively. Also, it is important for consumers to participate in brand community activities. Through this study, we suggest each brand personality has different types of influences on consumer-brand relationships and brand attitudes.INTRODUCTIONIt is well established idea that brands have personalities or even human characteristics. The brand personality is a means of expressing consumer identity and a different aspect of the consumer' s self (Aaker 1997; Belk 1988; Escalas and Bettman 2005; Johar, Sengupta, and Aaker 2005). Humanizing a brand allows the brand to play a more central role in customers ' lives and allows them to project their selves to create the desirable relationships they seek (Aaker 1997; Wallendorf and Amould 1988). Moreover, people feel comfort when they sense that the brand fits with their self-concept (Aaker 1999; Swaminathan, Page, and Gu'rhan-Canli 2007). In order to identify the potential of brand personality, it is meaningful to understand how the underlying mechanisms influence the consumer-brand relationship and the brand attitude as well as which brand personality traits affect consumers more positively. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the influences of brand personality traits on consumer-brand relationships and brand attitudes.Many companies have made efforts to distribute resources to build long-term relationships with their customers (Johnson and Seines, 2004). As company-customer relationships grow stronger, customers' repurchase and WOM (word-of-mouth) intentions also increase (Maxham and Netemeyer, 2002). Recently in the marketing area, it has been an important issue for brand managers to maintain strong consumer-brand relationships (Gummesson 2002). As a result, many studies have investigated consumer-brand relationships (Marketing Science Institute 2002). Keller (2001) suggested that the consumer-brand relationship was the last step in the building of brand equity. At the same time, marketers have invoked brand attitude as an important concept related to consumer behavior. Prior studies have suggested that brand attitude predicts brand considerations, intentions to purchase and purchase behaviors (Fazio and Petty 2007; Petty, Haugtvedt, and Smith 1995; Priester et al. 2004).A brand community is a relationship structure in which consumers are situated (McAlexander et al. 2002). With the internet and information technology, virtual brand communities have been effective marketing tools and communication channels for brand building activities (McWilliam, 2000). …