1,721,104 research outputs found
Brand personality appeal in retailing: Comparing fashion- and grocery retailing
No full textIn a mature retail market, branding can offer retailers opportunities for setting themselves apart. This study examines the construct 'brand personality appeal' (BPA; Freling et al., 2011) in retailing. Two consumer surveys are administered, on fashion retailing (n = 104) and grocery retailing (n = 101), focusing on (1) store personality, (2) BPA, and (3) retailer brand equity. A SmartPLS estimation shows that 'enthusiasm' is a personality trait that appeals to consumers regardless of the retail context, whereas 'sophistication' matters more in fashion retailing and 'unpleasantness' in grocery retailing. BPA is a significant driver of retail brand equity, regardless of the retail context.The author would like to thank Dimitry Dessers, a master thesis student in the MSc Applied Economics (Hasselt University), for his help in the data collection for this study, and Prof. Dr. Em. Gilbert Swinnen, for his thoughtful comments on the design of this study and for his valuable support in the early stages of this research
The Mediating Role of Self-image Congruence and Perceived Product Quality on the Relationship Between Brand Personality and Brand Equity in the Belgian Beer Market
No full textHow Facebook's Brand Personality Affects Brand Commitment and Preference: The Mediating Role of Self-image Congruence
No full textUnderstanding the Impact of Automatic and Deliberate Mental Haptic Imagery on Consumer Touch Perception in E-commerce Environments
No full textThe phenomenon's relevance. In online stores, the absence of physical product inspection often leads to post-purchase disappointment. Lacking technologies for engaging other senses, webshops mainly rely on visual information. To fill out the blanks, consumers can also rely on 'mental imagery' while browsing, imagining how it would be to interact with products through all senses. Theoretical foundations. Eliciting mental imagery has been used as a persuasive communication strategy for years. Especially in advertising, consumers are often encouraged to imagine the use of the product, leading to better product evaluation, stronger product desire, and greater purchase intentions (Krishna et al., 2016; Elder & Krishna, 2012). Two types of mental sensory imagery can be distinguished: deliberate (i.e., consumers being instructed to form an image) and automatic mental imagery (i.e., more spontaneous imagination, for example, by reading a description). The effects of both types of imagery are so far mostly studied in isolation (Elder & Krishna, 2022). Potential contributions to the field. This research (1) examines the effect of haptic imagery on consumer reactions in webshops, while (2) comparing both types (i.e., automatic and deliberate mental imagery). Research question(s). Our objective is to develop a better understanding of the role of these two types of haptic imagery in consumer decision-making processes in online shopping. We unravel explanatory mechanisms and inspect boundary conditions. Methodology. A controlled lab experiment (n = 161) in a beauty care context with a 2 (automatic imagery: yes/no) x 2 (deliberate imagery: yes/no) full factorial design has been conducted. Mediators (e.g., processing fluency), as well as moderators (e.g., imaginativeness), have been considered. Findings. Consumers with high imaginativeness should be encouraged to use their imaginative power by appealing to deliberate (rather than automatic) mental haptic imagery, as this activates three underlying favorable mechanisms. The indirect effect of deliberate imagery (compared to automatic imagery) on consumer attitude towards the product was statistically significant and positive-albeit only for highly imaginative consumers (+1SD)-and this via (1) communication evoked imagery processing (β = .25; 95% CI = [.05, .49]), (2) embodied mental simulation (β = .18; 95% CI = [.03, .36]), and (3) processing fluency (β = .21; 95% CI = [.05, .42]). These three mechanisms, in turn, are also directly positively related to more positive attitudes and higher purchase intentions towards the product. Discussion. Our findings in a webshop context echo what has been observed in the advertising realm before. Moreover, by examining both types of haptic imagery concurrently (rather than separately), we were able to observe that for certain target customer segments, deliberate imagery outperforms automatic imagery. Conclusion. These insights can inform marketing strategies and practices, ultimately leading to more effective and satisfying online shopping experiences for consumers
Doing good while performing well at Flemish universities: Benchmarking higher education institutions in terms of social inclusion and market performance
No full textUniversities, and higher education institutions in general, are ever more influenced by output-driven performance indicators and models that originally stem from the profit-organisational context. As a result,universities are increasingly considering management tools that support them in the (decision) process for attaining their strategic goals. The growth-share matrix is one of these tools that has proven its value in diverse business and competitive contexts in the past few decades. The present study’s contribution is twofold. First, we apply and interpret the growth-share matrix as part of a strategic positioning analysis in a strategic university context. Second, we extend this tool by incorporating social inclusion as a third dimension in the analysis. In recent years, discussions on the rising social disparity among adolescents in higher education have increased and different types of actors have raised the motivation to create more equal opportunities for prospective students who rank among the group of socially disadvantaged adolescents. The findings of an empirical case of the proposed model for a particular Belgian academic programme show that increased social inclusion and higher performance parameters, such as growth in student enrolments and diplomas, can be reached simultaneously
Enhancing Online Shopping Experience: The Effect of Deliberate vs. Automatic Haptic Imagery in Consumer Reactions: An Abstract
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent changes in consumer habits and preferences boosted online shopping. However, a perceived barrier in the shopper's online path to purchase is the lack of sensory input, physical inspection, or even trial opportunities for the products offered online, creating uncertainty in product assessment (Kim & Krishnan, 2015). As consumers can't physically inspect and try the product in an online store environment, they tend to depend on mental imagery. Mental imagery is "a prospective, multi-modal sensory and cognitive representation formed from memory that is evoked automatically or deliberately" (Elder & Krishna, 2022). Browsing through the online store environment, consumers imagine product interactions and sensory experiences (i.e., how the product feels, looks, smells, sounds, tastes). This research examines the effect of sensory imagery on consumer reactions in the online store environment. Our objective is to develop a better understanding of the different types of sensory imagery. Understanding the differences between these different types of imagery is crucial for comprehending how our minds operate and how they influence our thoughts, behaviors, and decision-making processes. Previous research identified two types of sensory imagery: deliberate imagery (i.e., the consumers are instructed to form an image) and automatic mental imagery (i.e., more spontaneously, for example, by reading a description; Elder & Krishna, 2022). The effects of these two types of imagery are mostly studied in isolation (Elder & Krishna, 2022). However, research comparing these types of imagery in terms of formation and consequences is lacking. The study aims to distinguish between deliberate and automatic mental imagery and their respective effects on perceived ownership, processing fluency, attitudes, and behavioral intentions while taking into account consumers' imaginativeness. A controlled experiment was conducted on 161 female participants in an online store featuring a beauty product. The findings reveal that deliberate mental imagery instructions significantly improve mental imagery processing, but only for consumers with high levels of imaginativeness. Parallel serial mediations indicate that enhanced mental imagery increases perceived ownership and processing fluency, which in turn elevate attitudes toward the product and purchase intention. These results shed light on the role of mental imagery in online shopping, benefitting both marketing theory and practical strategies to enhance the online shopping experience
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