Self-Concept and Brand Preference: A Partial Replication

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Few marketing propositions are more intuitively pleasing than that brand preference is based upon the congruence between a consumer's self-image and his perceived image of the product brand. Research efforts directed at establishing empirical support for this proposition have generally been successful;' however, with few exceptions these efforts have been directed at only one of the several recognized concepts of self-image.2 Two recent research efforts have included the concepts of actual and ideal self-images in their research design.3 In each study actual self-image is defined as the perceived image one has of oneself, and ideal self-image represents the perceived image of the person the individual would like to be. Both studies were directed at testing the proposition that actual and ideal self-image are differentially related to brand preference due to differences in the visibility of product consumption. It has been suggested that products high in consumption visibility might serve as a vehicle for the attainment of ideal self-image, while products low in consumption visibility would serve as a vehicle for the attainment of actual self-image.4 Findings in each study supported the contention that brand preference for a privately consumed product is related to the congruence between the respondent's actual self-image rather than his ideal self-image. No support was found for the hypothesized relationship between the respondent's ideal self-image and the brand image of his most preferred publicly consumed product.