A Study of The Effects of Brand Personality On Three Constructs - Brand Trust, Brand Attachment, and Brand Commitment in Imam KH

6/14/2014 A Study of the Effects of Brand Personality on Three Constructs: Brand Trust, Brand Attachment, and Brand Commitment
in Imam Kh
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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
DECEMBER 2013
VOL 5, NO 8
A Study of the Effects of Brand Personality on Three Constructs:
Brand Trust, Brand Attachment, and Brand Commitment
in Imam Khomeini Port City
Mahbubeh Fallahi
Master in Business Management
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch,
Center of International Education Khalij Fars, Khorramshahr, Iran
Dr. Mohammad Ghasemi Nameghi
Assistant Professor
Payame Noor University, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Human personality is the turning point of the research on brand personality (BP). This new
science concerning the study of brand personality could be described as: tendencies towards
being influenced by and displaying a specific behavior when using a specific brand. (Costa
and McCrae, 1998). The present paper is a marketing study in terms of its subject. The
research method is an applied one in its objective and descriptive-correlative in its nature.
Kalleh is active in food industries such as dairy, ice cream, processed meat production,
packaging, and non-dairy beverages like juices and non-alcoholic beers. The data related to
brand personality has been collected using a questionnaire, with items the content of which
included the senses of brand personality.As the questionnaire was reviewed using expert
comments, it has had a sufficient reliability. Cronbachs alpha coefficient (=0.884) indicates
its good reliability. The results of hypothesis testing indicate that there is a significant
relationship between brand personality and the customers trust and commitment to the brand.
However, brand personality is not significantly related to customers attachment to the brand.
6/14/2014 A Study of the Effects of Brand Personality on Three Constructs: Brand Trust, Brand Attachment, and Brand Commitment in Imam Kh
COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research
156
Also, there is a significant relationship between attachment and commitment; trust and
commitment; and trust and attachment. The purpose of the present paper is to present a model
which includes the effects of brand on three constructs of trust, attachment, and commitment.
In addition to the relationships between the brand personality and the three constructs, the
interrelations of these constructs have been taken into account.
Kewords: Brand identity, trust, brand loyalty, consumers.
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Introduction
Brand consists of a name, term, sign, symbol, design or a combination thereof, used in
order to identify the products and services of sellers or a group of them, and to differentiate
those products/ services from the competitors. Brand helps the consumer identify the
products they deem useful and also it may provide the customer with information on the
product quality.
Our names give us identity, making us distinct from others, forming an expression to
associate what is synonymous to us in others minds. The same applies to the brands given to
the products and services. That is, primarily, they provide those services/products with an
identity; next, they differentiate those specific product/services from similar ones; and
ultimately, are associated to all their attributes and qualities in peoples minds.
The present paper aims at examining Kalleh dairy brand and its effects on customers
commitment, attachment and trust to this brand.
How to Enhance Customers Loyalty?
The above question is currently a substantial challenge for the scholars, leading to
unlimited research as well as the emergence of a dual complexity in conceptualization and
operationalization of the notion of loyalty.
Various approaches to this issue include: behavioral, attitudinal, and mixed. The behavioral
approach does not allow for correct differentiation between loyalty and other kinds of
repetitive approaches. In order to consider a customer as really loyal to a specific brand, not
only he/she must have bought it repeatedly, but also must have positive attitude towards it.
(Jacoby and Kyner, 1973; Trinquecoste, 1996; Bozzo et al., 2003)
157
One way to provoke customers loyalty is launching relation-oriented marketing campaigns
defined by Morgan and Hunt (1994) as a set of activities performed to create, develop and
maintain successful transactions. Afterwards, the firm tries to maintain its relationships with
the customers. To do this, the firm might rely on its brand which could support such a
relationship.
Various aspects of brands have been investigated including the concepts of brand identity,
brand specific/net value, brand image, and brand personality. (Kapferer, 1998; Keller, 1993;
Aaker, 1997)
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There is a consensus in the literature that the concept of brand is influenced by the image of
the brand itself, which is a set of associations in consumers minds on the brand. (Keller,
1993)
Such associations could be both functional and abstract. The abstract ones are personality
inputs given to the brand by the customer, becoming part of brand image. Brand personality,
defined as all the personality traits of individuals associated with the brand, is a concept in the
domain of relation-based marketing and helps to better understand, develop, and maintain the
brand-customer relationships as well as explaining how such relationships affect the
consumers behaviors. (Foutnirt, 1998; Ambroise, 2006; Gouteron, 2006, 2008).
The purpose of the present paper is to present a model which includes the effects of brand
on three constructs of trust, attachment, and commitment. Thus, it is clearly in line with the
third aforesaid research domain. In addition to the relationships between the brand personality
and the three constructs, the interrelations of these constructs have been taken into account.
Kalleh Dairy Company owns one of the main milk-consuming facilities in Iran. Currently,
with over 24 branches nation-wide, it distributes its products throughout the nation and is
considered one of the two leading firms in dairy products market in Iran.
In order to complete previous research on the relationship between brand personality and
commitment, the present paper has differentiated two kinds of commitment: useful
commitment and continuous commitment.
Brand
158
American Marketing Association (AMA) defined the brand as a name, sign, symbol,
design or a combination thereof, intended to identify the products and services of one seller or
a group of them and to differentiate them from those competitors.
David Aaker defines brand as a symbol which is linked to a great number of properties and
mental commitment the aim of which is to identify and differentiate the products.
Brand Personality
Brand personality consists of a set of human attributes associated with a specific brand
(Aaker , 1997). It is assumed that such traits associated with a brand are sustainable, distinct
and stable.
Kotler (2006) defined brand personality as a particular combination of human traits which
might have been attributed to a specific brand.
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Anyhow, brand personality is affected by the interaction between two main factors: one is
what the supplying firm tries to attribute to its brand as its personality; and the other is the
customers perceptions of the personality of a brand; which are not always necessarily the
same.
According to nafdaR (1982), it is conceivable when you are driving on the road almost
running out of gas, begging your car - as it moves on with difficulty- that if you could go a
little further, there is a gas station around.
Various studies have confirmed the fact that a personality metaphor could be used for a
better understanding of a brands image. However, before Jennifer Aakers (1997) work, titled
as "The Dimensions of Brand", there was no agreement on how it should be classified.
(Caprara, Barbaranelli, and Guido, 1998)
This article was able to create a new movement on the subject as well as providing a
theoretical framework and novel methodologies concerning the concept of brand which were
validated by many further studies.
Using theoretical frameworks of human character classifications in psychology, Aaker
focused on how to use such frameworks to classify the brand personality. She examined
personality dimensions under 114 traits in order to explain 37 different brands; and by
classifying those traits and inspired from the five core dimensions model of human
159
personality in psychology, she presented the five core dimensions model of brand
personality.
Dominant Characteristics: Behavior and Traits
Brand Personality
Dimensions
Down-to-earth, honest, wholesome, cheerful, family-oriented Sincerity
Young, exciting, daring, trendy, spirited, imaginative, up-to-date Excitement
Reliable, intelligent, successful Competence
Upper class, charming Sophistication
Outdoorsy, tough Ruggedness
Brand Trust (BT)
Mormon et al. (1993) define trust as tendency towards an exchange partner whom you rely
on. Research shows that trust is a foundation for loyalty and is the result of good intention
leading to immediate selection without attention to its costs and benefits. In industrial
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marketing, this has been applied somehow and good efforts have been done to find ways to
create and maintain it. As far as it concerns a brand, trust has a different content than in
interpersonal relations because brand is a symbol incapable of influencing and responding to
customer relations. (Lau and Lee, 1999)
In the market, where the main component is the customer, loyal customers are particularly
important. In such an environment, if we consider the trust building as the first marketing
principle, then marketers should pay due attention to the second principle, namely, customer
loyalty building and maintenance, through monitoring the customers relations quality and
providing them with value. Numerous researchers have tried to identify the factors which
might be of influence in this regard. (Lvyan Lee, 2008)
The type of relationship in tendencies common to the industrial marketing is determined by
its high reliability levels in which one might focus on long term benefits from the mutual
relationships which will lead to increased competitiveness and reduced transaction costs.
Reliability may be examined from two aspects: perceived reliability and
benevolent/philanthropic reliability.
Perceived reliability focuses on visual or objective characteristics in mutual interactions
160
and the expectations on which the written and spoken statements are based.
Target philanthropy refers to the extent to which one party's benevolence implies the
welfare and motivation to create an alliance with the other party. (Lau and Lee, 1999)
Brand Attachment
Brand attachment is a psychological variable indicating an effective and durable
relationship with a brand. (Lacoeuilhe, 2000)
Brand Commitment
Commitment is an important factor to understand marketing power as well as a useful tool
to measure the customers loyalty likelihood and to predict their future purchases. Mormon et
al. (1992) defined commitment as permanent tendency to maintain a valuable relationship.
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Research Method
The present paper is an applied one in terms of purpose; a descriptive-survey one in terms
of method; and a correlation-type one as it is concerned with the variables interrelations.
Answers to these questions are sought:
1. Is there a significant relationship between brand personality and customers brand trust?
2. Is there a significant relationship between brand personality and customers brand
attachment?
3. Is there a significant relationship between brand personality and customers brand
commitment?
4. Is there a significant relationship between customers brand trust and customers' brand
attachment?
5. Is there a significant relationship between customers brand attachment and customers'
brand commitment?
6. Is there a significant relationship between customers brand trust and customers' brand
161
commitment?
Research Hypotheses
H1. There is a significant relationship between brand personality and customers brand
trust.
attachment.
commitment.
H4. There is a significant relationship between customers brand trust and brand
attachment.
H5. There is a significant relationship between customers brand attachment and brand
commitment.
H6. There is a significant relationship between customers brand trust and brand
commitment.
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Population and Sample Size
The population for the present study includes all consumers of Kalleh products in Imam
Khomeini Port city among whom a sample of 370 individuals was selected using random
sampling by the following formula:
2
2
d
PQZ
n = 384
05/0
5/0.5/0.96/1
2
2
= =n
At a 95% confidence level, Z=1.96; and boundary error d (maximum error we could
ignore) was estimated at 0.05. The sample includes 384 customers selected randomly among
Kalleh
clientele in Imam Khomeini Port city. From 400 questionnaires, 380 were returned
among which 370 were usable.
Measurement Tool
162
A questionnaire based on the works of Lewis and Lambert was used for data gathering. By
asking questions the content of which encompasses the examples of brand personality, the
related data were collected. Various options were included and rated by five-point Likert
scale. Each item had a score equal to others and the total scores in each set would give an
estimation of brand attachment, brand trust and brand commitment to Kalleh.
The questionnaire consists of two sections: one includes items related to brand trust, brand
attachment and brand commitment to Kalleh
; while the other asked the customers views on
9 brand personality traits of Kalleh
, namely dutifulness, aesthetics, essentiality, misleading,

introversion, dominance, attractiveness, creativity, and friendliness. The questionnaires
validity was confirmed through scholars comments and Cronbachs alpha (= 0.884)
determined its reliability.
Data Analysis
Lisrel software was applied for data analysis. RMSEA (= 0.098: relatively acceptable) and
CFI (=0.85: desirable) methods were used to determine the goodness of fit of the research
model.
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Hypotheses Testing
SEM method was used to measure research variables. As shown in Fig.1 and Fig.2, the
models validity and goodness of fit are confirmed as chi2
<3, chi
2
/ degree of freedom <3,
RMSEA >2 and t >90% in all above models. If AGFA and GFI and t values are less than 2 at
a 99% confidence level, then they will be significant. All values are significant.
163
Fig. 1. Standard Coefficient Values with Factor Loading for Structural Model
(Variables and Questions)
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164
Fig.2. T Statistic Values for the Structural Model
(Variables and Questions)
Fig.3. Standard Coefficients for Structural and Measurement Models
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165
Fig.4. T Statistic for Structural and Measurement Models Coefficients
The hypotheses were tested using coefficients and t-test.
For H1, =0.30 and t=4.42.
For H3, =0.17 and t=2.85.
For H4, =0.50 and t=5.11.
For H5, =0.33 and t=3.61.
For H6, =0.37 and t=3.83.
Thus, as in these tests t>1.96, one might state, with 95% confidence, that the path which
relates the variables in above hypotheses is positive and significant, supporting all hypotheses.
But, for H2, =0.08 and t=1.34. Thus, as t<1.96, one may state, with 95% confidence, that
the path which relates the variables in this hypothesis is not positive and significant, rejecting
it.
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Results of Hypothesis Testing:
Support/ Rejection Hypothesis Number
Supported
There is a significant relationship between brand
personality and customers brand trust.
H1
166
Rejected There is a significant relationship between brand
personality and customers brand attachment.
H2
Supported
There is a significant relationship between brand
personality and customers brand commitment.
H3
Supported
There is a significant relationship between customers
brand trust and brand attachment. H4
Supported
brand attachment and brand commitment.
H5
Supported
brand trust and brand commitment.
H6
Conclusion
The results of hypothesis testing indicate that there is a significant relationship between
brand personality and the customers trust and commitment to the brand. However, brand
personality is not significantly related to customers attachment to the brand. On the other
hand, there is a significant relationship between attachment and commitment; trust and
commitment; and trust and attachment.
Suggestions
1. The manufacturers should be honest and loyal towards their customers in order to
increase the reliability of and commitment to their own products.
2. Manufacturers should update their products regularly in order to increase the reliability
of and commitment to their own products.
3.
Manufacturers should enhance their efforts to identify the customers needs further
and to meet them regularly in order to increase the reliability of and commitment to their own
products.
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4. Manufacturers should enhance innovation and attractiveness in their products.
5. Directors/managers in Kalleh Company should make more effort towards elimination
167
of negative aspects of their products and to strengthen the positive ones.
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168
REFERENCES
1. Jafarnejad, Ahmad; Shahroodi, Kambiz; Mousagholizadeh, Farzaneh;
Mousagholizadeh, Maryam, The Role of brand personality in Customers Brand Loyalty.
2.
Hafeznia, Mohammadreza (1998); An Introduction to the Research Method in
Humanities; SAMT Press, Tehran.
3. Hossein-Abadi, Vida (2011); A Study of the Effect of Brand Net Value on Intention to
accept the Brand Development from a Customer Perspective; Azad Islamic Univ., Central
Tehran Unit; M.A. Dissertation in Management.
4.
Heidari (2010); An Introduction to Branding
5.
Khaki, Gholamreza (2005); Research Method with Thesis-Writing Approach; Baztab
Publishers, Tehran, 3
rd
Edition.
6. Saeidnia, Hamidreza; Baniasadi, Mehdi; Sharifi, Sara,
A Study of the Effects of Sex on Customers Loyalty Levels Using a Relation-Based
marketing Approach.
7.
Sharifi, Ahmad (2010); The Importance of Brand
8.
Eshghipur, Nader (2011); Brand personality: Theoretical Structure, Dimensions and
Managerial Applications.
9. Malek-Akhlagh, Esmaeil; Golchehreh Nodehi, Sayed Mehdi, Jahangirzadeh, Ehsan;
Determination and Elevation of Brands Strategic Position for Creating Loyalty in
Customers
10. Naderi, Peyman (2011); A Study of the Relationship between Brand Traits Perception
and Loyalty- Building in Customers or Decision to Repurchase (in Insurance Industry);
Azad Islamic Univ., Central Tehran Unit; M.A. Dissertation in Management.
11. Noel Kupffer (2004); Strategic Brand Management; Translated into Persian by Sina
Ghorbanloo; Tehran, Moballeghan Publishers, 1
st
Edition.
12. Kotler, Philip (2004); Marketing Management Basics; Translated into Persian by
Alee Parsaeian; Tehran, Termeh Publishers, 1
st
Edition.
13. www.kalleh.com
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DECEMBER 2013 VOL 5, NO 8
14. Didier Louis, Cindy Lombart, (2010),"Impact of brand personality on three major
relational consequences(trust, attachment, and commitment to the brand)", Journal of Product
& Brand Management, Vol. 19 Iss: 2 pp. 114 130.

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6/14/2014 A Study of the Effects of Brand Personality on Three Constructs: Brand Trust, Brand Attachment, and Brand Commitment

, namely dutifulness, aesthetics, essentiality, misleading,

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