The effect of brand authenticity on consumer–brand relationships

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of brand authenticity on forming self-reinforcing assets (enticing-the-self, enriching-the-self and enabling-the-self), which subsequently influence the brand-self connectedness and consumers’ behavioral intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed 347 consumers in the USA and Brazil and used structural equation modeling to test the relationship among brand authenticity, self-reinforcing assets, brand-self connectedness and behavioral intentions.

Findings

Brand authenticity was found to influence the self-reinforcing assets. In turn, the self-reinforcing assets promoted closeness toward the brand, thereby increasing the behavioral intentions of consumers to buy a product, visit a store/website in the future and recommend the brand to other people.

Practical implications

Marketing practitioners can use these results to promote better brand positioning by considering brand authenticity as a key factor in how consumers cognitively assess brands.

Originality/value

This paper shows that brand authenticity is a key antecedent of consumer–brand self-reinforcing assets.

Citation

Oh, H., Prado, P.H.M., Korelo, J.C. and Frizzo, F. (2019), "The effect of brand authenticity on consumer–brand relationships", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 231-241. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2017-1567