Customer Brand Identification and Its Influence on Customer Loyalty in the Hotel Industry

Abstract

Customer brand identification is described by the customer's perception and feeling about a brand. It brings value and meets the customer's needs. The four drivers of CBI are brand self-similarity, brand social benefits, brand identity, and memorable brand experiences. The purpose of this study is to understand the influence of CBI (and, consequently, its drivers) on customer loyalty and its perception of hotel brands. Although the importance of CBI has already been recognized in some studies, its effects on customer loyalty in the hospitality context are still relatively unexplored. A survey was used to understand and confirm that CBI and all four of its dimensions significantly influence customer loyalty. This means, in the hotel industry, customers tend to look for brands that are distinct from their competitors, have an identity of their own, and close to their values. It was also possible to conclude that the client tends to behave more favorably towards the brand, spreading positive word of mouth and recommending brands that meet CBI conditions.