How does attachment style influence the brand attachment – brand trust and brand loyalty chain in adolescents?

Abstract

This study contributes to the growing body of literature investigating how and why consumers form connections to brands by applying an attachment theoretical framework. According to the attachment theory, children develop internal working models of the reliability of others in the interaction with the primary caregiver(s). It can be assumed that this attachment style, which is conceptualized along two dimensions (secure–anxious and dependent–independent), not only influences intimate relationships in the long run, but may also play an important role in customer relationships. The author investigates the influence of attachment style along the brand attachment – brand trust and brand loyalty chain. The sample consists of 216 adolescents. The results derived from structural equation modeling (SEM) by proposing a non-recursive model show that the dependent–independent dimension of parental attachment style positively influences the corresponding dimension of brand attachment predisposition and is important for all of the constructs along the brand attachment – brand trust and brand loyalty chain. However, this is not the case with the secure–anxious dimension of parental attachment style. The secure–anxious dimension of brand attachment predisposition does, on the other hand, have a significant impact at least on brand trust. The results are discussed from an attachment theoretical point of view and corroborate the suppositions of Rindfleisch, Burroughs, and Wong (2009), who grounded their findings on terror management theory. Several possible implications of these results for the theory and practice of brand management and advertising, especially in the light of the gamification of advertising, are discussed.