Political brand endorsers, political brand preference, and political brand equity: A mediated moderated model

Abstract

ABSTRACT Though extant literature has investigated the role of brand endorsers in political marketing and communication research, few studies have investigated the causal relationships between brand endorsers, political party brand personality, and voter behaviour. The present study addresses this gap by investigating the relationship between brand endorsers, brand personality, brand preference, and brand equity in the political marketing context, by adhering to the meaning transfer model. The results reveal that political brand endorsers have a significant effect on political party brand personality. In addition, political party brand personality has a significant influence on the political brand preference and political brand equity. The brand personality of a political party has a partial mediating role on the relationship between brand endorsers, brand preference, and brand equity. The results of the study further describe the partial moderating role of political party type on the relationship between political party brand personality, political brand preference, and political brand equity. The paper has significant marketing and communication implications for political parties. The study is undeniably significant as it is centred on India, an emerging Asian economy whose political parties, leaders, and their strategies invite direct comparison with those of developed economies.