Impact of fashion innovativeness on consumer-based brand equity

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationships between fashion innovativeness (FI) and brand image dimensions (cognitive, sensory and affective associations) for favorite fashion-related brands, the contribution of these dimensions to lovemarks (brand love and respect) and lovemarks’ consequent effect on brand loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A Web-based survey was conducted using a national sample of 2,492 US male and female consumers between the ages of 18 and 76. Structural equation modeling tested the hypotheses. Findings Results indicated positive, statistically significant associations between the six variables. Among the three brand image dimensions, sensory associations exhibited the strongest relationship with FI, whereas lovemarks displayed stronger relationships with cognitive and affective associations. Lovemarks affected loyalty toward fashion-related brands. Research limitations/implications The survey of the US consumers and the focus on fashion-related brands may limit the generalizability of the findings. This empirical study illustrated how FI impacts an extended consumer-based brand equity model. Practical implications Fashion-related brand managers should not only promote pleasant sensory associations to attract those with a high level of FI but also promote cognitive and affective associations to foster lovemarks (high brand love and respect) to achieve the end goal of customer loyalty. Originality/value Even though consumers with a high level of FI may contribute significantly to long-term brand success, past research has not explored the relationship between FI and the factors that lead to consumer-based brand equity. The present study is the first to examine the role of FI in fostering brand equity.

Determinants of Tier 2 Indian consumer’s online shopping attitude: a SEM approach

“…In the analysis of structural model, online consumer attitude positively influenced online purchase intention and also achieved structural invariance. Results support the finding from past studies (Cho, 2018;Shams et al, 2015) that consumers' innovativeness is positively associated with attitude towards internet buying. The latent construct fondness for brand products was found to be a reliable and valid.…”

Measuring the effects of retail brand experiences and brand love on word of mouth: a cross-country study of IKEA brand

“…From a services category point of view, this is the first study to focus on a retail brand, thus extending previous studies in the field of neo-luxury, fashion, destinations, and several consumption objects (e.g. Ahuvia 1993;Ahuvia 2005;Whang et al 2004;Cho 2018;Nikhashemi, Jebarajakirthy, and Nusair 2019). Furthemore, this study focuses on the experience store format, which has not been investigated before in the retail research literature, and demonstrates, for the first time, the link between the four dimensions of retail brand experiences and brand love (Bagozzi, Batra, and Ahuvia 2017).…”

“…Despite extensive research conducted in the field of brand love over the last three decades, little is known about what generates a brand love relationship in the context of global retail brands and its behavioural consequences. Indeed, the majority of studies on brand love has mainly investigated consumption objects, bikes, pets, destinations (Ahuvia 1993;Ahuvia 2005;Whang et al 2004), fashion (Cho 2018) and more recently luxury goods Rodrigues, Brandao, and Rodrigues 2018). One notable exception is a study conducted by Nikhashemi, Jebarajakirthy, and Nusair (2019) which investigates the roles of retail brand experience and brand love in the fashion industry.…”

Brand love matters to Millennials: the relevance of mystery, sensuality and intimacy to neo-luxury brands

“…To sum up, this paper contributes to the fast-growing consumer-brand relationships literature, by exploring the role of brand love in the context of the emergent neo-luxury paradigm. From a product category point of view, this is the first paper to focus on neo-luxury brands, thus expanding on previous studies conducted comprehensibly on different object categories such as places, pets, bikes, consumption objects, and fashion among others (Ahuvia, 1993, 2005; Whang et al , 2004; Cho et al , 2015; Cho and Fiore, 2015; Cho, 2018; Rodrigues et al , 2018). Moreover, this paper integrates for the first time the extant generational theories with the neo-luxury concept thus sheding light on the importance of understanding how Millennials relate to neo-luxury brands.…”

“…It is worth noting that most of the existing literature on brand love has been conducted comprehensibly on different object categories such as places, pets, bikes, consumption objects among others (Ahuvia, 1993, 2005; Whang et al , 2004). More recently, several studies have been conducted in the field of fashion (Cho et al , 2015; Cho and Fiore, 2015; Cho, 2018) and luxury (Rodrigues et al , 2018), which calls for future research in the field of luxury consumer-brand relationships.…”