Promoting consumer loyalty and resilience to negative information through brand identity sub-components: an empirical investigation in the luxury electronics goods

Abstract

Purpose The strategic importance of brand identity management has been emphasized in the brand management literature, but studies that examine brand identity sub-components effects on customer resilience to negative information are very few. In this regard, this study aims to examine the effect of brand distinctiveness and prestige as sub-components of identity on young customers’ loyalty and resilience to negative information through the mediating variable of brand attractiveness in the luxury electronics market. Design/methodology/approach Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected. Based on a five-point Likert scale were asked of consumers and owners of electronic products (mobile phone, tablet and laptop) to indicate their level of disagreement and agreement with series of statements. After an analytic process, 422 valid questionnaires were obtained. The hypotheses were tested by using structural equation modeling. Findings The results showed that brand prestige and distinctiveness have direct effect on brand attractiveness, which prestige had more influence than distinctiveness. The results indicated that brand loyalty was strongly affected by direct brand attractiveness, and that the effect of brand attractiveness on the resilience to negative information was not significant. Finally, the study results showed that resilience to negative information is affected by brand loyalty. Originality/value This study is significant because it is one of the few studies that examines the effect of brand identity on brand attractiveness and consumers’ extra-role behavior, which results in the development of branding literature in the field of luxury products.

Enhancing resilience to negative information in consumer-brand interaction: the mediating role of brand knowledge and involvement

“…The current study enhances the insight of consumer-brand associations in three main ways: First, we clarify why consumers are resilient to negative information about some specific brands by applying the brand knowledge and brand involvement. The results fill a research gap, which brand involvement plays as a driver to consumers' resilience to negative information (Torres and Augusto, 2019;Zarei, et al, 2020). These results might explain brand knowledge's critical role that the gained knowledge will boost consumer-brand-related outcomes (Fritz et al, 2017).…”

“…In other words, these mediators enhances the understanding of consumer-brand relationships (e.g. Torres and Augusto, 2019;Zarei et al 2020).…”

“…The study also extends understanding of the relationship between RNI and its antecedents. In other words, these mediators enhances the understanding of consumer-brand relationships (Torres and Augusto, 2019;Zarei et al, 2020).…”

“…Augusto, et al (2019), also asserted that there is limited research on resilience to negative information, which is considered a crucial outcome because today's' industries are more subject to new challenges the appearance and widespread of social media. Moreover, consumers who perceive brands as more highly unique and prestigious than other brands with no such qualities result in more loyal consumers and more resilient to negative information (Zarei, et al, 2020).…”

“…Based on reviewing the literature, the relationships between online brand communities' characteristics and brand involvement received considerable attention. However, examining brand involvement as a driver to better understand consumer-brand relationships received little attention, and understanding the process that leads to resilience to negative information is imperative (Torres and Augusto, 2019;Zarei, et al, 2020). In other words, research efforts related to investigating the role of interaction in building online brand community relationships, are still limited (Wang, et al, 2020).…”