First Name:
Daniel
Last Name:
Villanova
Major Department:
Marketing
Thesis Director:
Unal Boya and Eva Hyatt
Date of Thesis:
May 2013
Brand loyalty is considered a major factor in marketing outcomes, such as brand preference, purchase intention, and profitability. Researchers have found that trust and satisfaction contribute to brand loyalty, but new research indicates that the stable personality factors of consumers may influence loyalty-building as brand personality congruence (BPC) appears to have a positive effect on loyalty. This study assesses BPC’s relationships with trust, satisfaction, and loyalty using a newer brand personality scale. Results indicate that higher levels of brand personality congruence are associated with the outcomes, but effects are totally mediated such that greater BPC fosters more brand trust, which in turn leads to greater brand satisfaction, which then predicts brand loyalty. This study also notably finds lack of support for a hypothesized moderating effect of product category involvement on BPC’s relationships. Limitations are considered, and suggestions for future research are then made.