Abstract

Relationships among Brand Identification, Brand Affect, and Brand Loyalty
- Utilitarian Products vs. Hedonic Products

Yi,You-jae (Professor, College of Business Administration, Seoul National University)

Lee,Ji-young (Staff, Marketing Department, AMOREPACIFIC)

This study investigates the influence of brand-self identification on brand loyalty by employing the concept of brand affect. This study especially focuses on the meæflating role of brand affect between brand identification and brand loyalty. This study also examines the differential influence of brand identification on brand loyalty between the two product classes: hedonic products and utilitarian products. Several interesting results are found. First, brand identification has a positive influence on brand loyalty; that is, as brand identification increases, both attitudinal and behavioral loyalty increase. Second, brand identification can have a positive influence on brand affect; consumers may feel pleased when they purchase the brand that gives high brand-self identification. Third, brand affect can have a positive influence on brand loyalty. Fourth, the influence of brand identification on both attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty is greater for hedonic products than for utilitarian products.

Key words : brand identification, brand affect, brand loyalty, behavioral loyalty, attitudinal loyalty, hedonic products, utilitarian products