Application of the “Brand-Choice Sequences” Theory to measure Brand Loyalty to Beer Brands in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper focused on the lacuna that may be extant in the non-application of brand loyalty theories to study consumers’ loyalty to beer in parts of Nigeria. The study operationalized a behavioral construct of brand loyalty theory, the ‘brand-choice sequences’ theory, to measure consumers’ loyalty to five brands of beer, namely, Harp, Star, Heineken, Gulder, Hero, and Guinness Stout in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Using the survey method, a convenience sample of 200 beer consumers in selected socioeconomic and demographic segments was used for the study. Data from the survey were computer-analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA models. The results from the study indicated that, generally, significant undivided loyalty does not exist among the beer consumers and across the beer brands in the study. There are, however, significant variations in brand loyalties across the socioeconomic and demographic segments. The study recommends that for academics and pedagogy in brand loyalty, future empirical studies on brand loyalty should consider, conjointly, attitudinal and behavioral approaches to measure brand loyalty, in order to further test the efficacy and convergence of behavioral and attitudinal theories on brand loyalty. The study further recommends that marketing practitioners will need innovative promotional strategies, targeted at consumer segments, to cultivate undivided brand loyalty towards beer brands.