Understanding the origin and evolution of affinity as a multidisciplinary concept: A conceptual approach to consumer affinity

Abstract

The use of the term affinity has been gradually spreading in several disciplines from multiple viewpoints. Among all these approaches, the concept of consumer affinity, which explains how consumers' positive dispositions toward a particular foreign country affect their purchase decisions of products from that origin, has recently emerged in the marketing discipline. In addition to the scarcity of theoretical and empirical studies on this concept, the marketing literature lacks a systematic review detailing the origin, evolution, and relevance of this notion and the remaining gaps to be investigated in this field. This study aims to examine the complex nature of consumer affinity and the difficulties that arise in its analysis at a conceptual and methodological level to examine its nature, characteristics, dimensionality, and relationship with other variables. To this end, through a systematic review using the PRISMA protocol, this study provides an integrated framework of the existing literature, analyzing the etymological origin and conceptual foundations of consumer affinity, its publication trajectory, and the main contributions to its study. Finally, this paper provides a roadmap for future research based on the convergences, inconsistencies, and knowledge gaps identified in the literature.

Hallmarks and potential pitfalls of customer‐ and consumer engagement scales: A systematic review

“…To ensure that all relevant articles were included in our review, the reference lists of these articles were also scanned, which did not identify any additional eligible articles. Our sample of 28 articles is comparable to those deployed in prior studies adopting PRISMA, including Kakaria et al (2023) review of heart rate variability in marketing research (33 studies), Rehman et al's (2020) analysis of social media‐based perceived risk antecedents, consequences, and reducers (42 studies), or Serrano‐Arcos et al (2022) review of affinity research (25 studies).…”

The Influence of Personal Branding, Influencer Endorsement, and Customer Engagement on Brand Affinity in the Cosmetics Industry in Indonesia

“…Brand affinity is a complex concept influenced by various factors, such as consumer affinity, brand personality, and product trust. Consumer affinity, which denotes consumers' positive dispositions towards a foreign country or brand, plays a crucial role in shaping purchase intentions [6]- [8]. Additionally, personal branding, a strategic process of developing a brand identity that resonates personally with consumers, is vital in the cosmetics industry for fostering trust and loyalty [9].…”