The primary research objective was to test the masstige model, which is a mechanism to explain the relationship between symbolic value associated with a brand and brand preference (purchase intention). Using an online individual interview method, respondents rated the masstige, preference, and symbolic characteristics perceived in the image of a typical brand user (TBU), identifying three generalized positive and four negative characteristics. The research was conducted on 20 different brands. The generalized results were analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling method. The present study, based on 393 interviews, found that the main TBU characteristics positively associated with brand masstige were two positive dimensions of Sophistication (e.g., elegant), Responsibility (e.g., solid), and one negative dimension of Boorishness (e.g., simpleton), which significantly reduced masstige. In addition, TBU brings the masstige independent part of the brand preference. The results confirm the theoretical relationship between symbolic brand value and masstige, and show that masstige is not the only determinant of brand purchase intention. The results allow for the development/strengthening of the masstige brand statute by targeting TBU characteristics associated with style or responsibility, and reducing associations with neglect, which may translate into increased sales.
Extant literature on self-image congruence has not yet come up with an answer to the question of whether the structure of traits describing individual personality differences is identical with the structure of attributes in terms of which consumers compare themselves to typical brand users. Providing a conceptual and methodological review of the literature, this paper applies a peer-rating, psycholexical approach to test the congruence between the structure of personality-trait lexicon of a brand user with the structure of personality lexicon of the natural language. Results of analyses of the personality lexicon structure reveal that typical brand users are described using fewer dimensions than human personality. The study concludes that personality scales developed on the basis of lexical material including the consumer context, and complying with the psycholexical methodology derived from human personality study, can be applied to self-image congruence research.
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