Brand experience and brand loyalty: is it a matter of emotions?
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics
ISSN: 1355-5855
Article publication date: 7 September 2020
Issue publication date: 18 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model, the aim of this study is to explore the impact of brand experience (BE) on brand loyalty, with the mediation effect of emotional brand attachment (EBA) dimensions, specifically brand passion, self-brand connection and brand affection.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized a sample of 278 smartphone users in Lebanon. A questionnaire was used for data collection and a mediation analysis was employed to test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
The findings revealed that experiential brands promote long-lasting brand loyalty through building brand passion, self-brand connection and brand affection.
Practical implications
To achieve a long-standing brand–consumer relationship, marketing managers should enhance and augment experiential marketing practices as this triggers deep emotional links and builds strong emotional ties with customers.
Originality/value
In contrast to previous studies on BE and loyalty, this research contributes to the literature by deepening the impact of emotions from the EBA perspective, specifically brand passion, brand affection and self-brand connection and posits the latter as mediators to the link between the BE and brand loyalty in the smartphone industry.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Tamara Kasamani would like to acknowledge the National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon (CNRS-L) for granting a doctoral fellowship.
Citation
Mostafa, R.B. and Kasamani, T. (2021), "Brand experience and brand loyalty: is it a matter of emotions?", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 33 No. 4, pp. 1033-1051. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-11-2019-0669
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited