Predicting Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions with Perceptions of Brand Personality: A Study in Cell Phone Markets

Abstract

Although there are many factors affecting the attitude and intention of the consumer, it could be said thatpersonality is the most important among them. Differentiating the products, which are getting more similar today,becomes more difficult for the firms. In differentiating the products emotional factors come to the forefront. Ifthe characteristics of the product are subjective and difficult to evaluate, consumers start to trust brandpersonality. The importance of brand personality is increasing nowadays. The reason is that brand personalityincreases the trust and loyalty of the consumers for the brand by affecting costumers’ preferences and uses.Pragmatic and personality factors have determinative effects on the formation of consumers’ attitude towardproduct and brand. In this study, it is examined whether the perceptions of costumers about brand personality ofcell phones affect their behavioral intention, or not. The answers of the 390 respondents, to whom questionnairesare applied with judgment sample method, are identified by brand personality scale adapted for Turkey by Aksoyand Özsomer because of cultural differences. A four dimensional structure is constructed in the study as Aksoyand Özsomer indicated in their work. The study shows that the dimensions of competency and excitement havehigher impact on behavioral intention than the dimensions of traditionalist and androgen. The characterization ofa technological product such as cell phone as competent proves that the global firms operate in this sector are inthe right direction.