Can brand anthropomorphism trigger emotional brand attachment?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although brand anthropomorphism has received considerable attentions, research on the relationship between brand anthropomorphism and emotional brand attachment is limited. In hospitality industry context, we conducted three experiments to examine the influence of brand anthropomorphism on emotional brand attachment. It was found that anthropomorphic brand significantly enhances emotional brand attachment. We also demonstrated that the reason why consumers exposed to anthropomorphic brand display greater emotional brand attachment is that their positive affect is activated. Regarding the boundary conditions, we shed lights on social exclusion and brand nostalgia. Consumers who experienced social exclusion reported more positive effect and emotional brand attachment when they were exposed to anthropomorphic brand versus non-anthropomorphic brand. In addition, we found significant moderating effects of brand nostalgia. We observed that the relationships between brand anthropomorphism and positive affect and brand anthropomorphism and emotional brand attachment are stronger for consumers with feelings of brand nostalgia than those not.