Structural Relationship between Brand Personality of Winter Olympics and Host Nation, Image Fit, and Loyalty*

Abstract

The current study assumes that positive brand personality of host nations would be transferred to the brand personality of mega sport events, and thereby affecting consumer behaviors. Additionally, such transferred effects would be amplified depending on the perceived image fit between host nations and mega sport events based on the principle of cognitive congruence effects. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of the brand personality of host nations on consumer loyalty through the brand personality of mega sport events depending on the perceived image fit between host nations and mega sport events. The results showed that brand personality of host nation did not only positively influenced brand personality of mega sport event, but it also indirectly affected consumer loyalty. Additionally, the image fit between host nations and mega sport events was found to moderate the effect of brand personality of host nations on brand personality of mega sport events. Accordingly, we suggest that practitioners should develop positive brand personality of host nations and mega sport events while considering their image fit.