Brand Prestige Research Articles

How Do Face Consciousness and Public Self-Consciousness Affect Consumer Decision-Making?

Many individual differences affect consumers in the decision-making process (i.e., what to purchase; when to purchase). Face consciousness and public self-consciousness affect when in the fashion life cycle consumers decide to purchase, as well as what to purchase. Both face consciousness and public self-consciousness are concerned with consciousness (i.e., awareness; mindfulness) and both depend on social comparison processes. But the motivation underlying the social comparisons is different: with face consciousness, social comparisons yield appraisals of prestige and social status; with public self-consciousness, social comparisons yield assessments of situational appropriateness. The purpose of this study was to examine links among face consciousness; public self-consciousness; brand prestige; self-expressive brand (inner; social), and fashion leadership. Participants were 221 university students who completed a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha reliability, and multivariate/univariate analysis of variance (M/ANOVA) were conducted to analyze data. Results showed that face consciousness and public self-consciousness similarly affected ratings of the social self-expressive brand. However, face consciousness (but not public self-consciousness) influenced ratings of brand prestige and inner self-expressive brand. Public self-consciousness (but not face consciousness) influenced fashion leadership. Thus, while face consciousness and public self-consciousness are both concerned with consciousness, they independently influence consumer decision-making in different ways. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.

Oppositional loyalty as a brand identity-driven outcome: a conceptual framework and empirical evidence

PurposeOppositional loyalty toward rival brands is prevalent. Although its antecedents have increasingly received scholarly attention, the literature is rather disparate. Based on identity theory, this study aims to propose that oppositional loyalty is a brand identity-driven outcome and provides a unified framework for understanding the formation and activation of brand identity in influencing oppositional loyalty.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling was used to test the theoretical framework based on an online survey of 329 brand community members. Multigroup analysis was used to test the moderating effect of inter-consumer brand rivalry and brand community engagement.FindingsThe results show that self-brand similarity, brand prestige and brand uniqueness lead to consumers’ brand identity (i.e. consumer-brand identification), which, in turn, facilitates oppositional loyalty. Furthermore, the results indicate that inter-consumer brand rivalry and brand community engagement are identity-salient situations that strengthen the relationship between consumer-brand identification and oppositional loyalty.Practical implicationsIdentity has great power in shaping consumer behaviors. Fostering consumer-brand identification is critical for firms to prevent consumers from switching to competing brands. Inter-consumer brand rivalry and brand community engagement can help firms consolidate their customer base by evoking consumers’ brand identity.Originality/valueThis investigation makes theoretical contributions by providing a unified theoretical framework to model the development of oppositional loyalty based on identity theory.

What motivates consumer to engage in microblogs? The roles of brand post characteristics and brand prestige

Microblogs have gained concerns from both academics and practitioners owing to their great potential for communication and diffusion. Brand managers can release posts containing photo, video, and hashtags besides a short text on microblog platforms. This study concentrates on the influence of explicit characteristics in brand post (i.e., photo, video, hashtags, and brand personality traits) on consumer engagement (i.e., number of likes, comments, and shares of brand post). Furthermore, we propose that brand prestige moderates the relationships between brand post characteristics and consumer engagement. We examine these hypotheses with a dataset that includes more than 250,000 brand posts across about 70 brands’ official accounts collected from the platform Sina Weibo, the largest and most popular microblog platform in China. Our research yields interesting findings that uncover the relationships among different characteristics of brand post and consumer engagement under different levels of brand prestige. We conclude the paper by highlighting its theoretical and practical contributions.

Shopping Experience, Brand Prestige and Perceived Value on Mall Visitors Loyalty in Indonesia

This study aims to determine the effect of shopping experience, brand prestige and perceived value on mall visitor’s loyalty in Indonesia. The population of this study consisted of customers who visited the shopping mall. Some shopping malls in Indonesia, including majority Yogyakarta, and minority Semarang, Bandung, Jakarta etc. was selected for the survey site. The survey was conducted for nine weeks period in May-July 2020. The data were collected through online survey using Google form. The respondents in this study totaled 254. A statistical analysis of the used data in this study was conducted using SPSS 17 vers. and AMOS 23 vers. According to this study result, s hopping experience has a positive effect on brand prestige for mall visitors in Indonesia . B rand prestige also has a positive effect on the mall visitors perceived value and p erceived value has a positive influence on mall visitor loyalty.

Curating Luxe Experiences Online? Explicating the Mechanisms of Luxury Content Marketing in Cultivating Brand Loyalty

Luxury brands have been increasing investment in creating compelling content that communicates brand value and stories on social media. Yet research on understanding the mechanisms of luxury content marketing in brand building is still scarce. Hence, we proposed and tested a comprehensive conceptual model explicating the mechanisms through which the perceived value of luxury content marketing on social media (i.e., YouTube) shapes brand loyalty among luxury purchasers. Our findings demonstrate that the perceived experiential value and unique value of luxury branded content are positively related to perceived brand prestige, brand exclusivity, and customer intimacy, respectively, which in turn, are significantly associated with brand loyalty. The perceived functional value of the brand’s YouTube channel is positively related to perceived brand prestige and brand exclusivity, respectively, which in turn, are significantly associated with brand loyalty.

Brand user imagery clarity (BUIC): conceptualization, measurement, and consequences

Brand user imagery is an important aspect of brand association and, consequently, brand equity. Extant conceptualizations emphasize content features of brand user imagery (e.g., convergence and favorability) but neglect the structural element of the concept, namely the clarity of the imagery. The purpose of this paper is to present the concept of brand user imagery clarity (BUIC) as a distinct and salient aspect of brand user imagery. Drawing on the associate network theory of memory, we offer a conceptualization of BUIC and then proceed to empirically validate a BUIC scale using data from 1172 consumers across four surveys and multiple industries. Results demonstrate the reliability of our 5-item BUIC scale. The scale consistently demonstrates convergent validity and discriminant validity (in relation to brand user imagery favorability, brand prestige, brand quality, and brand personality). Assessment of nomological validity identifies premium pricing strategy as a key determinant of BUIC and self-brand connection as an important outcome. This study contributes to branding literature by proposing BUIC as an important structural feature of brand user imagery and developing a reliable BUIC scale. It also contributes to the consumer–brand relationship literature by indicating the significant effect of BUIC on self-brand connection.

Evaluation of Competitiveness of Ceylon Tea in the World Market

Competitiveness and being competitive is vitally needed to enhance the performance and to tackle challenges in the highly competitive world tea market. The prestige brand Ceylon Tea established in the past has been enjoyed by Sri Lanka having no analysis done to determine the competitiveness of Ceylon Tea in its major destinations. This study was carried out by using the CMS model to determine the competitiveness and to test the possibility of using the model for such purposes. The total change of exported quantity to a particular country could be differentiated into three corporates such as market growth effect, composition effect and the residual effect or competitive effect by using the Constant Market Share (CMS) model. Fifteen destinations of Ceylon Tea markets were selected for the study based on the total quantity of Ceylon Tea exported and the potential of the country to import Ceylon Tea. Tea import data of last fifteen years from 2003 to 2015 were used for the study. The results revealed that Ceylon Tea is found to be competitive in Russia, Kuwait, Japan, Turkey, Germany, Australia, USA, and India, and Azerbaijan, Iran, UK and Libya are found to be having potential for being competitive for Ceylon Tea. However, Sri Lanka could have maintained its share of export and increased the market share in many of these destinations by enhancing the market growth as well as composition effect. Therefore, this model could be used to determine the competitiveness of Ceylon Tea in its destination. Further, tea promotion policy decisions including brand promotion through effective marketing communication could be achieved.

Understanding the Interplay between Brand Globalness and Localness among Homegrown and Foreign Global Brands in South Korea

This research provided an extended model to theorize the dynamics between brand globalness and localness that vary between global brands of home versus foreign origin. We focused on South Korea, an export-oriented, newly developed economy that is driving the new wave of Asian global brands. An online survey was conducted with 361 South Korean consumers to assess the interplay between perceived brand globalness and localness across seven product categories. Results showed Korean brands’ perceived globalness and local iconness were positively associated with brand prestige and quality, mediated by consumer nationalism. Foreign global brands’ perceived globalness and localization were positively associated with brand prestige and quality, mediated by marketing capability.

Examining Luxury Restaurant Dining Experience towards Sustainable Reputation of the Michelin Restaurant Guide

The study aims to investigate the formation of customer loyalty among luxury restaurant patrons in Korea. Moreover, the study investigated how the restaurants’ performance could contribute to the trust and sustainability of the Michelin restaurant guide’s reputation. The study identified meal experience, brand credibility, and brand love to influence customers’ revisit intention and willingness to pay a premium. The study surveyed 400 luxury restaurant patrons in Korea. The Michelin restaurant guide was used to classify fine dining restaurants. Measurement items from previously validated studies were adopted. The results of the study showed the meal experience scale satisfactorily measures service performance and leads to the formation of brand credibility. Subsequently, brand prestige and brand love significantly predicted customers’ loyalty intentions. Additionally, brand credibility helps form the trust of the Michelin guide and eventually predicts the long-term reputation of the guide.

Coffee House Consumers’ Value Perception and Its Consequences: Multi-Dimensional Approach

This research paper explored the causal relationship between consumers’ brand value perception, brand credibility, brand prestige, and other consequential outcome variables. The conceptual relationships were described into a potential theoretical research model. The potential theoretical model was empirically assessed using structural equation-based modeling analysis using the survey data obtained from 309 coffee drinkers in United States. The data analysis outcomes revealed that utilitarian-related value perception creates consumers’ brand credibility. Moreover, coffeehouse consumers’ hedonic value perception and social value perception increase brand prestige perception. This study revealed that consumers’ credibility perception and perceived prestige level has direct/indirect influence on perceived brand trust, commitment, and loyalty. Based upon the research findings, suggestions for the industry and future studies are provided.

How to Form Wellbeing Perception and Its Outcomes in the Context of Elderly Tourism: Moderating Role of Tour Guide Services.

Many people travel to improve their wellbeing perception (WBP), and senior tourists in South Korea are no exception in that they hope to enhance their quality of life through tourism. As such, this study explored the significance of WBP in the senior tourism industry in South Korea. The current paper collected samples from 349 senior tourists. Analysis of data indicated that brand prestige contributes to increasing WBP among seniors and improving consumer attitude. In addition, it was found that WBP positively affects both consumer attitude and word-of-mouth (WOM). Lastly, tour guide services moderated the relationship between (1) brand prestige and WBP and (2) consumer attitude and WOM. The current paper then presents theoretical and practical implications of the statistical results.

Budowanie marki prestiżowej na przykładzie wybranych azjatyckich koncernów technologicznych

Prestige brand strategy – the case of selected Asian technological companies Due to technological advance, in many sectors of the economy products have become very similar to each other. This is particularly true in relation to advanced technology products, which are often based on the same components and similar technology. This makes it difficult for an average consumer to make an assessment as to their quality and possible superiority. In this situation, brand becomes the most important differentiator and brand strategy has gained in critical importance in most technological companies. In order effectively to communicate with consumers, a brand has to focus on differentiating factors which are not common, and which are not being used by the other companies in an industry. Prestige is one of such original and nonobvious factors, defined in the present study as the ability of a brand to evoke feelings of individual uniqueness and social achievement. The aim of this article is to present Polish consumers’ prestige value perception of two Asian technological brands: Huawei and Samsung. These have been selected due to their leading position on the Polish mobile devices market. Analysis is based on empirical research made by means of CAWI interviews conducted with a sample of 1200 Poles. The research comprises two dimensions of prestige values: individual (uniqueness, personality demonstration, luxury) and social (proof of success, ability to impress others, status symbol). The results suggest that Samsung is perceived as a brand of higher prestige than Huawei in both dimensions: social and individual. Huawei is perceived as being fairly good in terms of proving success and of other social aspects, but it lacks the ability to evoke a feeling of individual uniqueness, personality expression, or luxury.

“Boss ceiling effect”: brand downgrading consumption of workplace employees

PurposePrevious literature suggests that people might purchase symbolic products to signal their social identity. However, in the organizational context, subordinates as customers might choose products with less brand prestige than what they want and can afford, just to make sure their choices are below the invisible “red-line” set by the brands of their supervisors. The authors term the phenomenon as “boss ceiling effect,” and term the behavior that people often downgrade their original choice to make sure the brand prestige is lower than that of the product owned by their boss as “downgrading behavior,” which have not been explored and well explained by existing literature so far. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct qualitative study to explore the existence of boss ceiling effect and providing possible influential factors of brand downgrading attitude. The quantitative study empirically examines the relationships among undesired self, perceived risk, organizational culture balance, and downgrading attitude and intension.FindingsThe authors find that undesired self-congruence and perceived risk are positively related to the downgrading attitude. In addition, the culture balance directly affects the brand downgrading attitude negatively and also moderates the relationship between undesired self-congruence and downgrading attitude positively and the relationship between perceived risk and downgrading attitude negatively.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to both organizational culture research and symbolic consumption research by considering symbolic consumption behavior in organization context. It is of great practical implications for marketers of symbolic consumption to understand the downgrading behavior.

Reading themselves through an icon: pedagogic episteme and functional differentiation as moulds for John Dewey’s reception in Spain, 1898–1939

ABSTRACT Dewey’s selective and moulding reception in Spain (1898–1936) was determined by the academic and professional “episteme” as “externationalisation mould”. Dewey was translated by members of the bourgeois-reformist Institución Libre de Enseñanza mainly after 1925, as his thought didn’t fit in their “episteme ” and political project. Searching for justification, they construed him as one of them, an Ideal-Realist, syncretising Pragmatism with Spiritualism- Vitalism, and rejecting his Naturalism, social definition of morality and communitarian-participative democracy as contrary to elitist nationalising regeneration. Dewey became a prestige brand and adverecundiam argument for supporting different stances. The failure of top-down regeneration and the problems of the extension of schooling, and pedagogic and scientific institutionalisation made possible a deeper reception. Socialist and teachers’ self-educational participative practices and professionalisation allowed practitioners to understand Dewey. Practitioners used him to defend a socialising and active-cooperative education through the project method, and the republican school, as remedies against the central Spanish social aetiology, individualism. Dewey gained specific illocutionary meanings: school teachers used him to claim intellectual independence from higher pedagogy. However, teachers, as academics, maintained anthropological and social-educational dualism and didn’t fully embrace Naturalism or a communitarian democratic-participative school that would have questioned their role as community reformers.

Peran Brand Attractiveness Sebagai Variabel Intervening pada Brand Distinctiveness, Brand Prestige, Brand Sosial Benefit, dan Memorable Brand Experience Terhadap Customer Brand Identification

The rapid development in the tourism sector is accompanied by an increase in foreign tourist arrivals, making the Indonesia’s hotel industry which is part of the tourism sector, growing dramatically. Competition between brands is unavoidable, each hotel must develop its own brand strategy. This study aims to add insight into brand management specifically in the hotel industry. This study used a quantitative method by distributing questionnaires to 219 respondents who lived in Jabodetabek and had stayed at five-star hotels located in Java and Bali. From this study it can be concluded that the role of brand attractiveness in giving indirect effects to brand prestige, brand distinctiveness, brand social benefits, and memorable brand experience on customer brand identification. This study also stated the importance of brand prestige, brand distinctiveness, and brand social benefits significantly and positively influences customer brand identification directly.

Identifying antecedents and consequences of well-being: The case of cruise passengers

Although recent studies have focused on the role of well-being in tourism, there is limited knowledge about its specific contribution for marketing practitioners. This study focuses on how cruise companies can develop a solid relationship with their passengers by examining four dimensions of experiential value and their impact on well-being and passengers' value co-creation behavior. Experiential value consists of four dimensions: playfulness, aesthetics, consumer return on investment, and service excellence. A structural equation model delineating relationships among experiential value, well-being, and value co-creation was developed and tested with 292 luxury cruise passengers. Well-being was found to play a significant role in linking the theoretical concepts of experiential value and value co-creation, with brand prestige playing a moderating role.

Brand prestige and affordable luxury: The role of hotel guest experiences

The concept of affordable luxury has elicited attention among hoteliers in recent years. This study developed and tested an instrument to measure hotel guest experiences of an affordable luxury hotel and investigated the influence of three dimensions of hotel guest experience on brand prestige (BP) namely physical environment (PE), guest-to-staff encounters (GSEs), and guest-to-guest encounters (GGEs). A total of 423 usable self-administered questionnaires were obtained from the guests of an affordable luxury hotel. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to reduce and confirm the measurement model of the proposed constructs, respectively. Structural equation modeling was adopted to test the proposed relationships. All three dimensions are significant antecedents of BP. PE is the most important, followed by GSEs, and then GGEs. A modified importance–performance analysis (IPA) was conducted by comparing the perceived performance and the derived importance of the guest experience attributes. This demonstrates how individual hotel can use the IPA to identify specific areas of improvement on the hotel guest experience attributes.

A conceptual framework for identifying key employee branding dimensions: A study of hospitality industry

The current research adds to the employee branding literature by building a conceptual framework to identify key employee branding dimensions in the context of the Indian hospitality industry that has been overlooked by the previous literature. A survey-based approach is employed on a sample of 421 customer-contact employees of the top ten luxury chain hotels, operating in five major tourist destinations of Northern India. The main thrust of the study is to gauge employees' perspectives concerning internal and external brand management efforts pursued by luxury chain hotels. Thus, a conceptual model was designed and tested through confirmatory factor analysis using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS v. 20). After reviewing the extant literature and conducting an empirical investigation, the study validates employee branding as a five-dimensional first-order reflective construct namely perceived brand-centred human resource management, perceived internal brand communication, perceived brand-specific transformational leadership, perceived brand-oriented support and perceived external brand prestige. The paper concludes with discussion, implications, provides limitations and directions for further research.

Mass Prestige brands – the end of traditional luxury brand marketing?

The luxury goods market is undergoing dramatic changes due to the fact that vast numbers of new consumers are gaining access to goods previously regarded as unobtainable. As a result, luxury is losing its elitist and exclusive character. The aim of this paper is to explore the changes in luxury brand marketing and to introduce the emergence of a new branding philosophy – Mass Prestige brands. The concept of Mass Prestige brands emerged as a response to luxury losing its elitist character, and it was intended to combine elements of luxury brand values perception with mass-market strategies. The key question of the discussion presented in this article is whether the values included in the luxury brand perception model fit Mass Prestige brand value perceptions, and if so, to what extent. Personal (“luxury for oneself”) and social (“luxury for others”) value dimensions of luxury brands were taken into consideration and confronted with the principles of Mass Prestige strategies. As a result, a modified version of the model was proposed that includes only the elements that are relevant to the buying motives of newly rich consumers seeking Mass Prestige brands.

Does the direction of offshoring matter? Comparison of downward and upward offshoring strategies in changing consumers’ brand perception by brand tiers

Offshoring strategies raise a critical question to defining the country images of brands, as offshoring results in discrepancies between the country-of-brand origin (COB) and the country-of-manufacture (COM) by relocating COM from the home to another country. Based on cognitive dissonance theory and social exchange theory, this study assesses the outcomes of apparel brands’ differing types of offshoring strategies by tracing consumers’ brand perception as these change after the revelation of offshoring information, particularly by comparing those outcomes between an upscale brand and a midmarket brand. Results from an experimental study revealed that a brand originating from a developed country’s offshoring from a developing country can significantly decrease brand credibility and prestige, while a brand originating from an emerging country’s offshoring from a developed country does not significantly improve those brand assets in either the upscale or the midmarket brand contexts. The paper concludes with a discussion of theoretical and managerial implications along with suggestions for future research.