Engaging customers through brand authenticity perceptions: The moderating role of self-congruence

Abstract

In a quest to investigate whether perceptions of authenticity can engage consumers with brands, the present study examines the influence of perceived brand authenticity (PBA) on consumer brand engagement (CBE). Furthermore, the study explores the influence of CBE on consumers’ brand usage intention (BUI) and willingness to pay a price premium (WPP). Data were collected online from 380 brand users and examined using the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique. The results reveal that PBA’s continuity, credibility, and integrity dimensions positively influence CBE, further influencing BUI and WPP. Moreover, multi-group moderation analysis reveals that statistically significant differences exist in the path estimates for ‘high self-congruence’ and ‘low self-congruence’ consumer groups, thus confirming the moderating role of self-congruence. Finally, the study concludes with an overview of the implications followed by the crucial limitations and directions for future research.