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Individual determinants of brand affect: the role of the personality traits of extraversion and openness to
experience
Kurt Matzler Sonja Bidmon Sonja Grabner-Kruter
Article information:
To cite this document:
Kurt Matzler Sonja Bidmon Sonja Grabner-Kruter, (2006),"Individual determinants of brand affect: the role of the personality
traits of extraversion and openness to experience", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 15 Iss 7 pp. 427 - 434
Permanent link to this document:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/10610420610712801
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Department of Marketing and International Management, Institute of Business Administration, Management and Economics,
University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship among two personality traits (extraversion and openness), hedonic value, brand
affect and loyalty. It argues that individual differences account for differences in the values sought by the consumer and in the formation of brand affect
and loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach Two samples are drawn (running shoes and mobile phone users) and the effect of personality traits on the other
constructs have been tested using the Partial Least Squares approach (PLS) to structural equation modeling.
Findings It was found that extraversion and openness are positively related to hedonic product value and that the personality traits directly
(openness) and indirectly (extraversion, via hedonic value) influence brand affect which in turn drives attitudinal and purchase loyalty.
Research limitations/implications The paper introduces personality as determinants of perceived value and brand affect. Future studies should
aim at including the other personality traits of the Big-Five (Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) as possible determinants and
utilitarian value as dependent variables.
Practical implications Combined with lifestyle segmentation approaches, personality variables can be useful to determine which market segments
seek hedonic values and which tend more to experience high levels of brand affect, which in turn leads to higher loyalty. The results suggest that
customers who score high on extraversion and openness respond stronger to affective stimuli. As a consequence, these findings are of relevance to
market segmentation and targeting.
Originality/value Affective responses to brands are of central importance to brand management as they strongly drive brand loyalty. In this study
we investigate the role of two personality traits (extraversion and openness) as antecedents of hedonic value sought by the consumer and brand affect,
which have been neglected so far.
Keywords Personality, Brand loyalty
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Brand affect and brand loyalty are central aspects in brand
management (Chaudhuri and Holbrook, 2001). It has been
shown that brands are valuable intangible assets (Rao et al.,
2004; Srivastava et al., 1998). Brand equity, defined as the
marketing effects or outcomes that accrue to a product with
its brand name compared with those that would accrue if the
same product did not have the brand name (e.g. Aaker, 1991;
Ailawadi et al., 2003; Keller, 2003) influences consumer-level
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427
H4.
3. Study
Sample
A self-administered questionnaire was developed and data were
collected from a sample of 303 randomly selected individuals.
Subjects have been approached during shopping hours in
shopping streets of two Austrian cities. Data collection took
place between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on five working days. The
interviewers randomly selected passers-by, asked them to
participate in the study (if they owned running shoes or mobile
phones) and to complete the standardized, self-administered
questionnaire. As an incentive, interviewees received a
chocolate bar. Overall, 303 usable questionnaires were
collected (158 for running shoes, and 145 for mobile phones).
Measures
All constructs have been measured with existing and tested
scales. The NEO-FFI approach to measure personality traits,
originally developed by Costa and McCrae (1992) and
translated and validated into (the) German (language) by
Borkenau and Ostendorf (1993), was used to measure the
personality traits openness and extraversion. Brand affect,
hedonic value, purchase loyalty, and attitudinal loyalty were
measured using the scales developed by Chaudhuri and
Holbrook (2001). Brand affect was measured with the items
I feel good when I use this brand, This brand makes me
happy, and This brand gives me pleasure. Two aspects of
loyalty were measured, purchase loyalty was measured with
the statements I will buy this brand the next time I buy a
running shoe and I intend to keep purchasing this brand.
Attitudinal loyalty was measured with the two statements I
am committed to this brand, and I would be willing to pay a
higher price for this brand over other brands. Hedonic value
of a brand was measured with the items I love this product
and I feel good when I use this product. All statements were
measured on a five-point Likert scale (1 strongly agree,
5 strongly disagree).
Results
The Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach was applied to
estimate the causal models (using SmartPLS; Hansmann and
429
Brand affect
Openness
Attitudinal loyalty
Purchase loyalty
Extraversion
Hedonic value
Brand affect
Openness
Attitudinal loyalty
Purchase loyalty
Extra-version
Hedonic value
0.90
0.30
0.77
0.64
0.21
0.60
0.66
0.22
0.16
20.11
0.11
0.88
0.56
0.08
0.57
0.95
0.23
0.43
0.73
0.22
0.92
Brand affect
Openness
Attitudinal loyalty
Purchase loyalty
Extraversion
Hedonic value
Brand affect
Openness
Attitudinal loyalty
Purchase loyalty
Extra-version
Hedonic value
0.89
0.35
0.60
0.38
0.19
0.57
0.69
0.20
0.06
0.01
0.23
0.89
0.40
0.13
0.50
0.95
0.13
0.39
0.73
0.32
0.92
431
Running shoes
Openness ! Brand Affect
Extraversion ! Brand Affect
Mobile phones
Openness ! Brand Affect
Extraversion ! Brand Affect
0.26 * * *
0.11 * * *
0.21 * * *
0.37 * * *
0.24 * * *
0.02n.s.
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432
Corresponding author
Executive summary
This executive summary has been provided to allow managers and
executives a rapid appreciation of the content of this article. Those
with a particular interest in the topic covered may then read the
article in toto to take advantage of the more comprehensive
description of the research undertaken and its results to get the full
benefit of the material present.
Understanding customers personality traits
A walk down any street in any town swiftly reveals that people
are different. The days when marketers could treat them as
being the same are long gone. They died a death when after
post-Second World war reconstruction demand ceased
outstripping supply for the majority of consumer goods.
They died a death when trade liberalization and globalization
brought choice and superior quality.
Research into peoples personality is back in vogue after a
quiet period. The emerging consensus points to five
personality traits within broad domains. These are
extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience (or
intellect), agreeableness, and conscientiousness. While any
model of this type can be open to charges of being simplistic,
it has proved a useful classification for brand managers
seeking to better understand the role of personality in areas
such as loyalty to a given brand.
A survey by researchers from Johannes Kepler University
Linz and the University of Klagenfurt in Austria sought to
further explore aspects of personality in relation to brand
affect and loyalty, focusing on those within the groups of
extroversion and openness to experience normally associated
with hedonic, or purchasing patterns linked to pleasure.
To do this they walked around the streets of two Austrian
cities asking those who either owned a mobile phone or
running shoes to complete a self-administered questionnaire.
They did indeed reveal that people are different. They also
revealed findings that marketers can usefully pick up upon
when determining market segments and making targeting
decisions.
In two consumer purchasing decisions, at least, hedonism
and aesthetics rule!
Positive brand affects
Extrovertism is associated with energy and ambition and
venturesomeness. Openness to experience with an active
imagination and aesthetic sensibility. At first sight they may
not seem like the likeliest candidates for loyalty. Yet there is an
opportunity to develop it with the right approach. Blandness,
for example, wont cut it.
The hedonic sensibility too is associated with aesthetics, as
well as emotion and pleasure. An unstated calculation being
computed by our extrovert self and that part of ourself
demonstrating openness of mind is what does this product do
for me, what pleasure will it bring, is it aesthetically pleasing
enough for me to wish to part with my cash.
To bring in another important concept, brand affect is
normally considered to precede brand purchase, a positive
brand affect making a consumer much more likely to buy. In
the study of mobile phone users there was a clear correlation
433
Ideas to go
What can be concluded from the Matzler, Grabner-Krauter
and Bidmon study? The most significant conclusions that can
be drawn are that:
.
There is a positive relationship between openness and
extroversion and the perceived hedonistic value of a
product;
.
Extroversion is positively related to positive affective
responses;
.
A positive indirect relationship has been found between
extroversion and brand affect.
So far so technical, but what are the implications for
marketers?
There is a deepening of understanding of human
personality as it relates to brand affect, and ultimately brand
loyalty. However, more specifically, the study aids the
434
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