Favorite Brand Research Articles

Social Media in Selected Business Models

The development of the internet and the emergence of social media create completely new opportunities for enterprises, both traditional and those operating in the e-commerce industry. The widespread use of social media channels by the majority of consumers make them naturally want their favourite brands to be present there as well. However, an absence will not stop the discussion, so it is im- portant for brands to realise that their presence on social media will allow them to become a part of it. This is an important aspect of managing organisations in various types of business model, B2C, B2B, C2B and C2C, although the specificity of using these channels differs. In this article, the authors identify and analyse how brands in selected business models use social media to achieve their strategic, communica- tion and business goals, and which elements are the most interesting for its users and why. The authors used a literature review and a survey questionnaire in order to ask the respondents (n = 85 for individual respondents and n = 18 for brands) which posts they follow on selected brand social media. The authors found that brands mainly use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to post information about events, expert discussions or informational content. The article contributes to a deeper analysis of social media in the management of brands and how to be more competitive in the market through their use.

Metaverse consumer behavior: Investigating factors driving consumer participation in the transitory metaverse, avatar personalization, and digital fashion adoption

The transitory metaverse shows promise for retail and marketing, but further academic research is needed to fully understand its dynamics. Despite previous exploration, empirical insights from consumer perspectives on the three core elements of the transitory metaverse (online shared 3D space, digital avatar, and digital object) and their influence on its adoption are lacking, with much of the previous work remaining conceptual. This gap limits our understanding of the nuanced factors driving consumers’ participation in the transitory metaverse, their avatar personalization, and the adoption of branded digital fashion within the platform. To address this, our study employed a qualitative research approach, gathering textual narrative responses from 81 U.S. consumers through an online survey that included open-ended questions. We focused on their perceptions and experiences of transitory metaverse engagement, avatar personalization, and branded digital fashion within a representative transitory metaverse platform, Animal Crossing. Through inductive analysis of the qualitative data, we identified three main themes for consumer motivations in the transitory metaverse: serene escape, virtual ownership and empowerment, and liminal interaction. Similarly, three key themes emerged for avatar customization: mood-driven self-expression, liberation from societal norms, and social recognition. Users perceived their avatars as virtual doppelgängers, idealized selves, or virtual dolls. Regarding branded digital fashion adoption, four themes emerged: aesthetic appeal, affordability, connection to the real world, and support for favorite real-life brands. Based on these findings, we propose a conceptual framework and discuss their implications for both theory and practice.

Canary Categories

Past customer spending in a category is generally a positive signal of future customer spending. Analyses of historical data at two retailers demonstrate that there exist “canary categories” for which the reverse is true. Purchases in these categories are a signal that customers are less likely to return to that retailer. The authors propose an explanation for the existence of canary categories and then develop a stylized model that illustrates four contributing factors: the probability that a customer finds their favorite brand, customers’ willingness to substitute brands, the cost and attractiveness of visiting other stores, and expectations about future brand availability. The analysis uses both field data and experiments to investigate these factors. The findings suggest that canary categories exist (at least in part) because store assortments are not completely adjusted to local preferences. An implication is that canary categories are endogenous to each retailer; the same category may be a canary category at one retailer and a destination category at a competing retailer.

“My Favorite Brand and I”: Self-Congruity and Brand Loyalty of Fast Fashion Product

This study aims to identify the role of self-congruity in the brand loyalty of Fast fashion products among students at one of the Indonesian tertiary institutions. The sampling technique is a quantitative method with non-opportunity sampling using convenience sampling and obtaining 214 respondents who are Fast fashion consumers among students at an Indonesian university. The data was processed using the Windows application analysis software Software Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) v23. The results of this study indicate that self-congruity plays a role of 40.8% in driving Fast fashion product brand loyalty, with an actual self-congruity role of 41.2% and an ideal self-congruity role of 27.3% towards Fast fashion product brand loyalty. Tracing the role of self-congruity in brand loyalty for low-involvement product types among students. This research will have a practical impact on product development by considering the characteristics of target consumers to match the type of product and image built on a brand.

Gen Z's Perspective: Unveiling the Impact of Emotion and Cognitive in Shaping Customer Experience in Omnichannel Context

Generation Z (Gen Z) exhibits unique characteristics in online activities, primarily through the use of social media for inspiration, product research, and interaction with favorite brands. To support this behavior, this study aims to analyze knowledge about customer experience in an omnichannel context by involving Gen Z and has involved cognitive, emotional, loyalty intention and purchase intention. This study used purposive sampling techniques to collect research participants. A total of 421 respondents met the criteria and hypotheses were tested using Smart PLS. These findings reveal that emotions have a direct effect on purchase intent, so cognitive has a direct effect on loyalty intent. In addition, emotions and cognitive also have a significant effect on E-WOM. E-WOM can also be partially mediated by the emotional and cognitive effects on purchase intent and loyalty. Gen Z is very accustomed and aware of omnichannel existence because of their familiarity with internet activities. Many Gen Z individuals see social media not only as a means of connectivity but also as a platform to seek inspiration, research products, and connect with their favorite brands. Overall, the study identifies omnichannel strategies as key to understanding and meeting the needs of Gen Z consumers, providing valuable insights for companies in improving consumer engagement and loyalty.

Content Designing An Engaging Medium In Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service. Social media marketing is becoming more popular for both practitioners and researchers. Content creation is the foundation of all modern digital marketing efforts. It's defined as the process of conducting research, generating strategic ideas, crafting those ideas into high-value collateral and then promoting to a target audience.
 Social media marketing is an important way for businesses of all sizes to reach customers. The customers are already interacting with brands through Social media that can bring remarkable success to the business. This has created devoted brand advocates and driving leads for better sales.
 Challenges of social media marketing like customer satisfaction, communication, reducing rumours, negative talk etc., helps in understanding the online marketing and helps in building strategies to avoid the problems of social media.
 This study focuses at how communication, cost and customer awareness, brand name influences e- business using social media as a marketing tool. This study provides important insights on which areas company owners and managers needed to look into more effective lyin order to prove business growth. However, if the business has a real Social Media Marketing strategy, it will be able to identify the ability to monitor public perception of its brand, products and services in real time. The importance of this study is: - Content designing in social media marketing.
 Content marketing leads customers to more informative and engaging mediums. Content creation is the ultimate inbound marketing practice. When a content is created, then it’s providing free and useful information to the customers, attracting potential customers through website, and retaining existing customers through quality engagement
 Content marketing is important because it answers customer’s questions and helps customers to Build trust, develops relationship, improve conversions, and generate leads. In the present day Customers expect high-quality, consistent content from their favorite brand.
 The methodology adopted will be Descriptive research and Convenience Sampling technique is followed.

The Intersection of Sports, Security, and Crypto Fan Tokens

In recent years, the intersection of crypto, sports, security, and fan tokens has become increasingly relevant across industries. Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security, while sports and fan tokens are digital assets that provide fans with unique experiences and ownership rights. These tokens could potentially revolutionize the way we interact with sports, entertainment, and the global economy. This report examines the benefits, challenges, use cases, and future implications of the intersection of crypto, sports, security, and fan tokens. The paper defines terms, examines the movement of individual fan tokens, and conducts a SWOT analysis of fan tokens that highlights cryptocurrencies' key security and feasibility components. Fan tokens are most popular in Europe, where 65% of fan token holders are located, with the most popular being associated with football teams of the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City, Lazio, and others. Fan tokens are still in their early stages of development but have the potential to change the way fans connect with their favorite teams and brands.

Effects of Perceived Value and Customer Service on Brand Satisfaction

In the current environment, consumers increasingly make demands of brands, forcing them to adapt to consumers’ needs. As a consequence, it is important to study the variables that influence customer satisfaction when buying their favorite brands. This study analyzes three constructs as follows: perceived value, customer service and satisfaction. A questionnaire built on validated scales was completed by 1,521 individuals using the PLS-SEM model. The results reveal that perceived value and customer service positively influence brand satisfaction. Thus, perceived value acts as a complementary mediating variable and high levels of customer service directly increase satisfaction.

Factors Influencing Consumer Preference Among Beverage Product Brands in Namibia

The primary purpose of conducting this study is to explore the factors that influence consumers’ preferences for beverage product brands in Namibia. The results of the study are useful in providing insights into the market characteristics of the Namibian beverage product brands and that of similar brands produced by other organizations for the Windhoek market. The scope of the study was delimited to the population domiciled in the Windhoek area; as such, the results may not be reflective of the general situation in Namibia because the factors that act in an urban setting may be fundamentally different from those that act in rural settings. This is because the sociology, economic, regional identity, and self-image dynamics of the rural settings are fundamentally different from those in the urban setting. As such, the interaction of the same factors in different sociological and economic environments and where individual perspectives for self-image and prestige are dissimilar can yield completely different results. Furthermore, the study recognizes that Namibia produces many different beverages, but in this study, the investigations were focused on alcoholic brands only. The study revealed that customers always stick to their beer brand. The study revealed there is a relationship between price, taste, packaging and quality, and promotion. The findings also revealed contradictory responses on factors that influence brand switching, where it was revealed that better quality and taste of one’s favorite brand have significant effects on brand choices. Also, the findings show that customers do not switch brands because of advertisements for other brands. Advertising induces brand switching but does not affect the repeat purchase rates of consumers who have just purchased the brand; but is inconsistent with respondents’ responses on advertisements as one of the influential factors on consumer preference where they responded that it is an important factor that influences brand choice. These inconsistent responses in price and advertisement can be interpreted that many customers are satisfied with their favorite brands, and therefore a change of price or advertisements of other brands cannot drive them to switch to other brands. Finally, introducing new brands in the market showed to have a significant impact on brand switching, but this switching does not last long because the switching is meant only for testing the quality of newly introduced brands. Price, flavour, special promotions, packaging and quality, and advertising are crucial factors in beer purchasers’ brand choice selections, according to a study. Breweries should pay adequate attention to these factors in their production processes and marketing plans and strategies to promote them well. Managers of brands should invest in frequent advertising to reduce brand switching and retain customers. Maintaining brand quality and advertising it frequently will keep customers buying the same brand.

Meters Wide: A Failed Mediatic Annexation of Sporting Heroes During Pandemic Times?

Abstract This sports media research uses a single case study approach to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mediatic consumption of sports heroes. The case of airing the “3mm” documentary film about WTA tennis player Simona Halep on Romanian television is being analyzed. The theoretical framework is set around the concept of parasocial interaction specific for the mediated relationships between sports fans and their favorite sports brands. The research question asks about the factors induced by the COVID-19 pandemic that might have influenced the rather low audiences of the broadcasted documentary. Results show that, indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic might have well had a considerable impact upon audience figures, mainly because, due to the pandemic situation, the patterns of parasocial interaction between sports fans and sports brands have been altered. The paper discusses the changes in parasocial interaction which occurred due to the pandemic.

Rivalry and Group Member Behavior among Fans of Sport Teams and Theme Parks

The current study investigated how group members react to favorite and rival brands among sport teams and theme parks. Specifically, fans of sport teams perceptions of favorite and rival brands were compared to that of theme park fans. Results showed that fans of sport teams reported more positivity toward their favorite brands and more negativity toward their rival brands than did fans of theme parks. Additionally, identifying as a fan of both a sport team and theme parks influenced more positive attitudes toward the favorite theme park brand. Finally, the current study places the group member behavior of theme park fans in the Hierarchy of Out-Group Derogation (HOD) and Out-group Derogation Spectrum (ODS) using the Group Behavior Composite (GBC, Havard, Grieve, Peetz, 2021). Implications for research and practice are discussed, along with future research avenues presented. A version of this study was presented at a previous conference, however with inaccurate data analysis. This presentation will focus on analysis using correct data points and the inclusion of the results in the HOD and ODS.

Implications of Lovemark Theory: A Study on Discreet Brands

The aim of this study is to analyze whether discreet brands can be a Lovemark by using empirical research methods. Discreet brands are unspoken by people. Nowadays, almost everything is labelled in the world of product use, and every user has a favourite brand to which they have emotional bonding referred to as Love marks. It takes more than a commercial these days to keep customers loyal to a company. Consumers must be able to connect on a more personal level. There is a deep-seated passion that has lasted for a long time, making the luxury brand customer one of the most loyal consumers all over the world. As a result; customers evaluate what a Lovemark is and why they continue to repurchase the brand, resulting in a kind of ongoing relationship of brand with the customer. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate why consumers form emotional attachments and loyalty to brands, resulting in a long-term, devoted relationship between them. Particularly selected is the discreet product - Sanitary Napkins from top brands in India.

I am ashamed of my brand-self! Consumer-brand identification as a moderator of emotional reactions following symbol-laden brand failures

PurposeThe study of shame has a long tradition in intra- and inter-personal psychology. This paper aims to investigate whether consumers can experience brand shame after self-relevant consumption incidents. Specifically, this research proposes that consumers follow a complex shame-inducing process in the aftermath of unpleasant experiences involving their favorite brand. The moderating role of relational tie strength between consumers and their favorite brand existing prior to symbolic failures is examined.Design/methodology/approachA scenario-based, online survey (n = 660) among consumers who have recently experienced a self-relevant failure with their favorite brand was conducted. Confirmatory factor analysis ensured the reliability and validity of the measurement model. For testing the conceptual model, data was analyzed by means of a moderated mediation analysis. The proposed model was tested against, among others, common method bias and alternative models. The findings were cross-validated with a scenario-based online experiment (n = 1,616).FindingsResults show that brand shame is a key mediator between customer dissatisfaction and brand anger when self-relevant, symbolic failures happen. Moreover, strong consumer-brand identification triggers brand-detrimental effects. It is shown to influence the connection between consumers’ inward- (i.e. brand shame) and resulting outward-directed (i.e. brand anger) negative emotions on brands, which lead to consumer vengeance.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to introduce the concept of situational brand shame to the literature on favorite brands. Furthermore, it shows that consumer-brand identification moderates the direct and indirect (via brand shame) unfavorable effects of failure-induced dissatisfaction on brand anger. This research adds insights to the investigation of the “love-becomes-hate” effect arising after self-relevant failures involving consumers’ most preferred brand.

From False-Free to Privacy-Oriented Communitarian Microblogging Social Networks

Online Social Networks (OSNs) have gained enormous popularity in recent years. They provide a dynamic platform for sharing content (text messages or multimedia) and for facilitating communication between friends and acquaintances. Microblogging services are a popular form of OSNs. They allow sending small messages in a one-to-many messaging model so that users can communicate with their favorite celebrity, brand, politician, or other regular users without the obligation of a pre-existing social relationship. A chain of privacy-related scandals linked to questionable data handling practices in microblogging services has arisen in the last past few years. Most current microblogging service providers offer centralized services and their business model is based on monitoring, analyzing, and selling users’ activity and patterns. In the end, the personal information shared by the users to benefit from the free-of-charge services is used for the underlying payment in such systems. In this paper, we present Garlanet, a privacy-aware censorship-resistant microblogging social network that does not rely on a centralized service provider as all data is hosted in computers voluntarily contributed by the users of the system. Garlanet provides microblogging functionalities while protecting privacy and preserving the confidentiality and integrity of users and data. It ensures that users’ identities and their social graphs are hidden from the system and adversaries and it provides availability and scalability of the services. We also evaluate the privacy level of Garlanet and we compare it with the privacy level of eight other microblogging systems.

Are Individual Investors Attracted to Shareholder Perks in the Emerging Markets? An Experimental Study in Indonesia

Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) analysis experiment is conducted in this study to investigate perception equivalency of shareholder perks (SP) and dividend policy among Indonesian investors and to examine whether SP as a new alternative of payout policy can attract more individual investors in Indonesia. The results show that investors prefer SP over dividend in both 2 and 4 percent yield. However, the marginal utility of SP is decreasing to yield. This result suggests that individual investors prefer to receive SP rather than no dividends but they do not expect to receive an excessive number of SP when it is possible for the company to distribute a high amount of cash dividend. Furthermore, the results grouped by gender indicates that female respondents are prefer SP to dividend and have a higher economic value on SP than their male counterpart. Practically, by investing in an SP-paying stocks, individual investors are able to buy their favourite brands and products at lower prices which might be more beneficial than receiving a small amount of cash dividends. Meanwhile, for companies, the results imply that the distribution of SP can attract a number of individual investors, particularly women. Keywords: Shareholder Perks, Dividend Policy, Individual Investor, Conjoint Analysis, Indonesia

Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes: Fan Group Behavior and Rivalry in Sport and Athletic Footwear Brands

AbstractThe current study investigated how sport fans and those of popular athletic footwear brands Nike and Adidas perceived and behaved toward their favorite and relevant rival brands. First, sport fans were compared with fans of athletic footwear brands to determine if differences were present in their favorite and rival brand perceptions. Sport fans reported higher identity toward their favorite brand, and more derogation toward a rival team than fans of the Nike and Adidas athletic footwear brands. Analysis also revealed that identifying as a fan ofbothsport and athletic footwear was associated with more positive attitudes directed at the favored footwear brand, while fans of Nike and Adidas did not differ in how they viewed their favorite and rival athletic footwear brands. Discussion and implications for researchers and marketing professionals is included, along with avenues for future research.

A Cross-National Analysis of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Cues' Preferences of Premium Denim Products : A Case of Levi's and other Premium / Luxury Denim Brands

This study has been conducted to investigate the Premium Denim brands’ intrinsic and extrinsic product cues which are significant for consumers when they want to shop for their favourite denim brands. The brands which are included in this study are Levi’s, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Armani and Gap. This research is a cross-national study and data are collected from India and European countries like Italy, Malta, UK, Poland, Sweden, Serbia etc. For intrinsic cues study we have taken products’ quality, fabric, color, fitting and uniqueness whereas for extrinsic cues we have taken pricing cues preferences, distribution channel preferences and promotional tools influences on Indian and European consumers. Design/Methodology/ Approach Online questionnaires link were shared through emails, whatsapp and linkedin and paper questionnaires were distributed to friends, universities students and to other people in India to collect responses from them. Students of “University of Ca’foscari, Venice, Italy” were met several times during lunch break and informed about research questionnaire. The google forms of questionnaire were sent to the university students and other respondents of European countries through emails and linked in. Hypotheses for intrinsic and extrinsic cues were developed and data analysis was conducted by SPSS statistical analyses. Originality/Value There are very few research papers written on both intrinsic and extrinsic cues and with an in- depth empirical research. Some scholars have written research papers on intrinsic cues and extrinsic cues separately. This study is an in-depth and comprehensive investigation of cross-national research on premium denim products’ intrinsic and extrinsic cues and its statistically significant preferences and influence differences between India and European countries’ consumers.

Communication Strategies Used in Corporate Facebook Pages and Motivations of Consumers for Following These Pages

Abstract The new communication tool of our current era is certainly Facebook because it is the most commonly used social network application in the world. Therefore, consumers perceive businesses which are not a member of Facebook as a business which cannot keep up with the new era and thus they want their favourite brands to be on Facebook. However, for businesses to be on Facebook is not just about opening a profile page. Businesses need to create a brand community that they get into interaction with their stakeholders in order to gain dynamism and mobility to their Facebook brand fan pages. Therefore, businesses need a variety of effective corporate communication strategies that they can apply on their Facebook pages. The corporate communication strategy that a business employs on Facebook should be compatible with the goals and purposes that a business wants to reach. A business which use a certain corporate communication strategy on Facebook will determine the contents that it will share on Facebook in line with this strategy and will create the desired perception on its target audience. On the other hand, a business which doesn’t apply a particular corporate communication strategy on Facebook probably doesn’t know which goals that it wants to reach. Therefore, businesses which share random contents on their Facebook pages try to continue their Facebook pages by trial and error. However, because of this situation, they cannot get the desired effectiveness, appeal and efficiency from their Facebook pages in the long term. Furthermore, stakeholders need some level of motivation in order to follow businesses on Facebook. If a business knows what the motives of usage are, it can shape its Facebook messages in the right direction. This way, more followers will gather around the brand community of the business on Facebook.

THE ROLE OF BRAND PERSONALITY APPEAL AND SELF-BRAND CONNECTION IN DETERMINING BRAND RESONANCE

This study intends to explore factors influencing brand resonance of cosmetic product in Indonesia. This research used an on-line cross-sectional survey to obtain data concerning the purchase of respondents’ cosmetic favourite brands. The target population for this paper encompassed women in Bandung city, Indonesia who have favourite cosmetic brands and always use the same brand for more that 6 months (possible existing self-brand connection and brand resonance). The sample was taken in Bandung city collaborating 400 respondents. The data analysis method used is SEM-PLS approach based on the SmartPLS version of 3.2.7. The research scope is seen from the perspective of geography and context. For that matter limited to women in the city of Bandung, Indonesia. Contextually, the research is limited to the cosmetic context and narrowed down to reflect only the views of women in Bandung. The results of the study is brand personality appeal has a positive effect towards brand resonance and self-brand connection mediates the relationship between brand personality appeal and brand resonance.

Positive and negative switching barriers: promoting hotel customer citizenship behaviour through brand attachment

PurposeThis study aims to develop and test a theoretical model postulating that a hotel customer’s brand attachment is reinforced by positive and negative switching barriers, which, in turn, determine customer citizenship behaviour (CCB) towards hotel brands.Design/methodology/approachSurveys were conducted and completed by 233 respondents in the USA who had favourite hotel brands and used these brands in the previous year. A framework was developed based on the literature, and eight hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe findings suggest that a customer’s brand attachment (brand-self connection and brand prominence) to a hotel is strengthened not only by relational benefits (positive switching barriers) but also by switching costs (negative switching barriers). Brand prominence can promote CCB, whereas the impact of brand-self connection on CCB is rather limited.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights the importance of affirmative and passive reasons for customers to remain in a relationship with the hotel brand and how sub-dimensions of switching barriers are interrelated to predict a customer’s attitude and behaviour to the brand. By emphasising the role of customers’ hotel brand attachment, this study also ascertains that cognitive and affective bonds towards a hotel brand can be significant antecedents to their extra-role behaviours.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the hospitality literature by expanding the realm of consumer behaviour research on switching barriers, brand attachment and CCB.