When Brand Personality Matters: The Moderating Role of Attachment Styles

Vanitha Swaminathan, Karen M. Stilley and Rohini Ahluwalia

Journal of Consumer Research: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly, 2009, vol. 35, issue 6, pages 985-1002

Abstract: This research examines the moderating role of consumer's attachment style in the impact of brand personality. Findings support our hypotheses regarding the manner in which brand personality and attachment style differences systematically influence brand outcomes, including brand attachment, purchase likelihood, and brand choice. Results show that anxiously attached individuals are more likely to be differentially influenced by brand personalities. Further, the results indicate that the level of avoidance predicts the types of brand personality that are most relevant to anxious individuals. Specifically, under conditions of high avoidance and high anxiety, individuals exhibit a preference for exciting brands; however, under conditions of low avoidance and high anxiety, individuals tend to prefer sincere brands. The differential preference for sincere (vs. exciting) brand personality emerges in public (vs. private) consumption settings and in settings where interpersonal relationship expectations are high, supporting a signaling role of brand personality in these contexts. (c) 2008 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Date: 2009

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