Factors influencing Chinese consumers' brand love: Evidence from sports brand consumption

Abstract

We investigated the effects of group affiliation, enjoyable communication, and identity expression on Chinese consumers' tendency to form sports brand love. Participants were 251 undergraduate students from 2 universities in Southern China, who were asked to name a brand they loved, then complete measures of sports brand love, need for group affiliation, enjoyable communication, identity expression, and sports involvement. Results showed that although the influence of enjoyable communication on sports brand love was nonsignificant, group affiliation and identity expression positively influenced consumers' tendency to form sports brand love. The effect of group affiliation was moderated by consumers' sports involvement, because it remained significant only when their sports involvement was high (vs. low). Further, the moderating effect of sports involvement was nonsignificant for identity expression and enjoyable communication. Theoretical implications and practical implications for managers in the sports industry are discussed.