brand relationships: a personality-based approach

248 Pages·2008·0.97 MB·English

BRAND RELATIONSHIPS: A PERSONALITY-BASED
APPROACH

Helena Cristina Rocha Figueiredo Pereira Marques Nobre

Doutoramento em Ciências Empresariais

Supervisors:

Carlos Henrique Figueiredo e Melo de Brito, Ph.D

Kip Becker, Ph.D

Paulo de Neville da Cunha Sepúlveda de Lencastre, Ph.D

Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Porto

2008
BIOGRAPHY

Name: Helena Cristina Rocha Figueiredo Pereira Marques Nobre
Email:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This dissertation would not be possible without the contribution of several people to
whom I should express my gratitude.

Doctor Carlos Melo Brito, Doctor Kip Becker, and Doctor Paulo de Lencastre who
accepted the challenge of supervising the present dissertation, giving continuation to an old
contribution and sharing a journey not free from obstacles and risks, I thank mainly their
constant incentive, teachings and help on the accomplishment of such a hard goal.

Doctor Luis Felipe Lages, with whom I have the pleasure of sharing ideas and benefit
from his wide knowledge, I would never forget his unselfish interest and availability in
helping me, and his encouragement in the development of this research.

Doctor Felipe Coelho, always kind and patient in answering my questions, I
acknowledge his help in the last phase of the empirical study. Doctor Francisco Vitorino
and Doctor Cláudia Simões, for their availability and words of encouragement in decisive
moments of the development of this study.

Doctor Pedro Nobre who actively worked in the collection of the data.

My cousin Marlene for her generous and worth help in the collection of the sample, as
well as for her friendship.

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Undergraduate students from Psychology course of the Universidade de Trás-os-
Montes e Alto Douro for their cooperation in collecting sample.

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia that gave financial support to this research
project.

All my friends and family who help me collecting data, especially Cinira Loureiro,
Cláudia de Carvalho, Eunice Loureiro, Helga Caramelo, Pedro Laja, my mother and father
in law Noémia and António, my cousin Raquel, my uncle Calica, who, besides their
friendship, dedicated much of their time distributing and collecting questionnaires.

Men and women who voluntarily and without any material compensation accepted to
participate in the empirical study.

My family and friends, for the friendship and comprehension regarding my absence in
the moments that I could not share. Specially, my fathers in law for their support and for
making my daily life easier in decisive moments for the achievement of this task.

My parents, Maria José e Adolfo, always present.

My husband, Pedro, for the friendship, the insights and the unconditional support in
making this project likable.

My lovely daughters, Maria Helena e Rosarinho, to whom I dedicate this thesis.

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ABSTRACT

Research investigated the symbolic meaning of consumer behavior. The study relied on
the premise that brand is a partner in a dyadic relationship with the consumer and was
aimed at investigating the relationship between Brand Personality and Consumer-Brand
Relationships in a Portuguese market context. The study of J. Aaker et al. (2004) was
inspirational in the development of a conceptual model. The model’s premise was that
Brand Personality plays an important role in the establishment of ties with the consumer.
The Consumer-Brand Relationships were approached according to the interpersonal
relationship theory. Two instruments were imported: a Spanish framework to assess Brand
Personality in the Portuguese market context, and a scale from intimate interpersonal
relationships to approach Consumer-Brand Relationships. Specifically, two main
hypotheses were formulated: (1) The personality of Sincerity predicts patterns of Intimacy-
Loyalty relationship and (2) the personality of Excitement predicts patterns of Passion
relationship. A quantitative study was conducted through a multivariate analysis design.
The empirical study involved a sample of nine well-known brands in the Portuguese market
within different product categories, brand personality and functional versus symbolic usage.
Findings indicated that brand personalities of Sincerity and Sophistication are associated
with relationships of Intimacy-Loyalty, and the personalities of Excitement and Passion are
associated with relationships of Passion. Moreover, results gave support to the general
hypothesis of study that Brand Personality may nurture specific Consumer-Brand
Relationships and those Consumer-Brand Relationships may influence the quality, or the
strength of the ties that consumers develop with brands.

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CONTENTS

Biography ......................................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ iv
Contents ........................................................................................................................................... v
Index of appendices ......................................................................................................................... viii
Index of figures ................................................................................................................................ ix
Index of tables .................................................................................................................................. x

Chapter 1 – Introduction ........................................................................................................1

FIRST PART – LITERATURE REVIEW
Chapter 2 – Brand Management ........................................................................................ 10
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................……....... 10
2.2 Semiotic approach to the brand ..........................................................................……..….......... 11
2.2.1 Brand as a triadic concept: sign, object and image ........................................................... 11
2.2.2 The brand identity structures ....................................……................................................ 16
2.3 Development of a brand .............................……………………................................................ 20
2.3.1 Identity and positioning ..........................................................................…….................. 20
2.3.2 Brand Personality .................................................................………………..….............. 28
2.4 Brand equity ...........................……............................................................................................ 33
2.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 45

Chapter 3 – Brand Relationships ...................................................................................... 48
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3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 48
3.2 A Relationship Marketing approach for consumer products ..................................................... 49
3.2.1 Introduction to relationship mass marketing ………........................................................ 49
3.2.2 Relational Market Behavior .……………….................................................................... 58
3.2.3 Loyalty versus Relationship Strength .………................................................................. 69
3.3 The symbolic meaning of consumption .………………………………………………….….. 75
3.3.1 Brand as a partner in a dyadic relationship …………...................................................... 75
3.3.2 Models for social relationships ...……............................................................................. 81
3.3.3 A conceptual model for Consumer-Brand Relationships ................................................ 89
3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 93

Chapter 4 – An Approach to Consumer Personality ................................................ 95
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 95
4.2 The Big Five factors ………………….…………..…………..……………...………..…........ 95
4.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 101

Chapter 5 – Problem Formulation ................................................................................... 103
5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 103
5.2 Objectives of study ................................................................................................................... 104
5.3 Framework for analysis ............................................................................................................ 106
5.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 112

SECOND PART – EMPIRICAL STUDY
Chapter 6 – Methodology ....................................................…………............................... 116
6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 116
6.2 Brand selection ......................................................................................................................... 117
6.3 Participants ............................................................................................................................... 120
6.4 Measures ................................................................................................................................... 122
6.4.1 Brand Personality scale ................................................................................................... 122
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6.4.2 Consumer-Brand Relationship scale ............................................................................... 123
6.4.3 Consumer Personality scale ............................................................................................ 124
6.4.4 Relationship Strength and Partner Quality scale ............................................................. 125
6.5 Data collection........................................................................................................................... 126
6.6 Data analysis ............................................................................................................................. 129

Chapter 7 – Results Analysis ............................................................................................. 131
7.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 131
7.2 Sample profile and non-response bias ...................................................................................... 132
7.3 Regression analysis ................................................................................................................... 135
7.4 SEM Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 147
7.4.1 Measurement model ........................................................................................................ 147
7.4.2 Path model parameter estimates ...................................................................................... 152
7.4.3 Test of mediation ............................................................................................................ 156
7.4.4 Generalizability ............................................................................................................... 156
7.5 Analysis of Brand Personality according to the Spanish Framework ……………….……..... 158
7.6 Discussion of the results ........................................................................................................... 162

Chapter 8 – Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 168
8.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 168
8.2 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 169
8.3 Study contributions ................................................................................................................... 173
8.4 Practical research implications ………………………………………………………………. 177
8.5 Limitations and suggestions for further research ..................................................................... 179

References ..................................................................................................................................... 183

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INDEX OF APPENDICES

Appendix A – Spanish Brand Personality Framework ................................................................... 213
Appendix B – Short Versions of Relationship and Partner Ideals Scales ...................................... 215
Appendix C – Relationship Strength Indicators and Partner Quality ............................................. 217
Appendix D – Portuguese Version of NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) ……..………...... 219
Appendix E – Instruments of Data Collection …………………………………………...…..…... 223
Appendix F – Output of the Pairwise Comparisons Between Brands ………..………....……….. 296

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INDEX OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 – The Brand Triangle ……........................................................................................... 15
TM
Figure 2.2 – Brand Essence Analysis Quadrants ……………................................................... 22
Figure 2.3 – Model of Brand Building ………………………...................................................... 24
Figure 2.4 – Young & Rubicam’s Brand Asset Valuator ………................................................. 27
Figure 2.5 – Dimensions of Brand Personality.............................................................................. 32
Figure 2.6 – Brand Resonance Pyramid ........................................................................................ 35
Figure 3.1 – Customer Relationship Benefits and Barriers............................................................ 61
Figure 3.2 – Customer Decision Model to Keep, Build, or Withdraw a Relationship with an
Organization………...…………………………………………………………..……..… 63
Figure 3.3 – Dimensions of Customer Loyalty…………............................................................... 71
Figure 3.4 – Higher-Order Model for Intimate Relationships………............................................ 87
Figure 3.5 – Conceptual Model of Consumer-Brand Relationship................................................. 89
Figure 5.1 – Conceptual Model of the Influence of Brand Personality on
Consumer-Brand Relationship........................................................................................................ 108
Figure 7.1 – Path Diagram............................................................................................................... 153

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