Date of Award
Fall 2021
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
First Advisor
Tara Marie Mortensen
Abstract
Brands have always exuded personality and status to consumers in order to promote a competent impression and induce positive perceptions and behaviors (Griskevicius, et al., 2007). In order for individuals to identify with brands, the brands must become more personable by consciously embodying a specific personality trait. Research has found that when a brand embodies a personality, there is an associated increase in consumer preference and usage (Sirgy, 1982), purchase choices for that brand (Ha & Janda, 2014; Gordon et al., 2016; Guèvremont & Grohmann, 2013; Swaminathan et al., 2009), and consumer preference and brand loyalty (Louis & Lombart, 2010; Mengxia, 2007). The purpose of this study is threefold: first, to examine the relationship between each of Aaker’s (1997) brand personalities – competence, sincerity, excitement, sophistication, and ruggedness – and consumer engagement on social media; second, to explore for the first time brand-consumer reciprocal altruism and its relationship with engagement; and third, to investigate whether reciprocal altruism is related to greater engagement from consumers following the brand on social media.
Rights
© 2021, Daniel D. Haun
Recommended Citation
Haun, D. D.(2021). Let’s Be Friends: Examining Consumer Brand Relationships Through the Lens Of Brand Personality, Engagement, and Reciprocal Altruism. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/6707