Examining strategies for maximizing and utilizing brand prestige in the luxury cruise industry

The purpose of this research was to examine the antecedents and consequences of brand prestige in the luxury cruise industry in order to provide luxury cruise managers with practical strategies for maximizing and utilizing brand prestige. Based on the existing theoretical background, it was hypothesized that eight types of cruise experience factors influence the formation of brand prestige: food quality, service quality, staff/crew attractiveness, entertainment, ship facilities, ports of call, programs/places for children, and cabin quality. In addition, it was proposed that brand prestige can result in three managerial outcomes: well-being perception, customer brand identification, and brand loyalty. A conceptual model was developed and tested using the empirical data collected from 330 U.S. luxury cruise passengers. The results showed that all of the proposed hypotheses were statistically supported. The key theoretical/managerial implications that were derived from the analysis are presented and discussed in the last part of the article.     

Experience,brand prestige,perceived value (functional,hedonic, social,and financial), and loyalty among GROCERANT customers

The food service industry has already observed that a merely good quality of products/services cannot make a business successful and has emphasized the importance of delivering unique and memorable experiences. Grocerants meet customer demand by filling the roles of grocery stores and restaurants, while offering novel and special experiences to customers. This study explores the unique experiences staged in grocerants by applying the experience economy and associates such experiences to brand prestige, customer perceived value, and loyalty. Data was collected at grocerants in Korea, using a mall-intercept survey. Our results identify the positive effects of entertainment and escapist experiences on brand prestige which significantly triggers functional, hedonic, social, and financial values. The three values (functional, hedonic, and financial) also affect loyalty. Overall, the proposed theoretical framework sufficiently accounts for customer loyalty. This study was the first attempt to investigate grocerant patrons’ behaviors and thus includes a high degree of originality.     

The influence of customer brand identification on hotel brand evaluation and loyalty development

Hotel firms have increasingly recognized that branding strategies constitute a strategic weapon to secure a competitive edge in the global hotel industry. To extend current understanding of hotel brand management, this study investigates the role of customer brand identification in the formation of hotel brand loyalty. This study contributes to the literature by establishing that customer brand identification is an indirect predictor of hotel brand loyalty through its three known antecedents. Results suggest that while the customer may identify with a particular hotel brand, hotel loyalty still depends on the customer's positive evaluation of factors relating to service experiences. However, as consumers’ identification with a hotel brand affects their evaluation of these factors, hoteliers should leverage customers’ brand identification to engender positive consumer evaluation of the hotel brand and, ultimately, increase brand loyalty.     

Reconstruction of the relationship between traditional and emerging restaurant brand and customer WOM

Customer word of mouth (WOM) is the focus of restaurant research. However, until now, few empirical studies with integrated perspectives have explored whether traditional and emerging restaurants have different paths. To fill this research gap, Study 1 examined 546 customers of time-honored restaurants and proved that brand authenticity affects customer WOM through perceived value and brand identification. Furthermore, that process is positively moderated by cultural involvement. Study 2 conducted a survey of 571 customers in an Internet celebrity restaurant and found that brand personality could promote customer WOM through perceived coolness and brand experience. Moreover, food quality enhanced the process of coolness perception and brand experience. These findings highlight that different paths of brand characteristics lead to a high level of customer perception and brand behavior. In other words, brand psychology and brand behavior occupy different core positions in traditional and emerging restaurants.     

Examining the role of wine brand love on brand loyalty: A multi-country comparison

This study develops and tests a model through a multi-country study that considers consumer wine knowledge and wine experience, wine brand trust and wine brand satisfaction as antecedents of wine brand love, and wine brand loyalty as a consequence of wine brand love. Data were collected in five wine-producing countries (Australia, Chile, France, Mexico and Portugal) with a final sample of 3462 completed surveys. Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling and the findings confirm the importance of brand love as both a mediator and direct influence on brand loyalty for wine consumers. Furthermore, brand satisfaction was positively and significantly related to brand love. In addition, wine experience, rather than wine knowledge, positively influenced brand trust and satisfaction. Finally, results also identify differences between countries thereby providing insights into how companies should focus their marketing strategies internationally.     

Customers’ relationships leading to brand tribalism and tribe behavioral intentions

This study investigates the influence of customer relationships on brand tribalism and tribe behavioral intention in the cruise industry. A survey was conducted on a sample of 254 luxury cruise travelers. Results suggest that customer/brand and customer/other cruiser relationships have positive influences on brand tribalism, leading to brand tribe behavioral intention. Involvement moderates the influence of sense of community on brand tribe behavioral intention. Despite the critical importance of successful brand management, it has been little known the leading factors affecting brand tribalism. Furthermore, there is a linkage void with relationship marketing although it is significantly related to brand management. To fill this gap, this paper proposes an explanatory model in which the two leading factors of the relationship are associated with brand tribalism, leading to brand tribe behavioral intentions. The findings will contribute to the development of brand-related theory and managerial directions for practitioners.     

The interaction between individual cultural values and the cognitive and social processes of global restaurant brand equity

The aim of this study is to increase understanding of the relationship between brand equity and individual cultural values in the marketing strategies of global restaurant brands. The study developed three research models and investigated global brand equity from the perspective that global brand equity has an impact on individual cultural values. The three models were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The findings indicate that both cognitive process and the social process of brand equity have an effect on cultural values. In particular, social process elements such as brand prestige and brand identification can reduce the risk of consumer uncertainty. This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between global restaurant brand equity and individual cultural values, and the hierarchy of individual cultural values that has not, to the best of our knowledge, been explored in previous research.     

Authenticity perceptions,brand equity and brand choice intention: The case of ethnic restaurants

This study examines the relationships between consumers’ authenticity perception and four brand equity dimensions (brand awareness, brand association, perceived quality, brand loyalty), as well as how these four dimensions are interrelated with one another. This study also examines the impact of brand equity on consumers’ brand choice intention for ethnic restaurants. Findings clearly indicate that consumers’ authenticity perception is a critical determinant of brand equity and brand equity has a significant impact on consumers’ brand choice intention. Findings of the present study would provide managers with a better understanding of the important role authenticity plays in ethnic restaurants’ brand equity. Managerial implications for better brand equity management are provided.     

Investigating emotional commitment towards a region and a hotel brand

This study examines emotional commitment, brand identification and place attachment’s role in hotel brand loyalty and subsequent behavioral intentions. Data for the study stemmed from 823 quantitative and qualitative responses to an online questionnaire by Finnish customers of a Finnish hotel chain. K-Means cluster analysis identified three customer commitment levels, which along with qualitative comments enhance understanding emotional commitment and its role in hotel brand loyalty. A specific place, Lapland, in the hotel’s brand name helps extend place attachment and introduce the concept of brand identification with Lapland’s geographic region. The customer cluster most emotionally committed to the hotel brand also reported the strongest commitment to the Lapland region.     

Crafting and testing a central precept in service-dominant logic: Hotel employees’ brand-citizenship behavior and customers’ brand trust

Employees play an important role in hotel service branding. Their enactments of positive brand-supportive behaviors help nurture positive customer–brand relationships. This study explores the relationship between employee perceived organizational support, brand citizenship behavior, and customers’ perceptions of brand trust. Two questionnaire surveys were carried out in high-contact hotel service firms collecting employee and customer data by matched-questionnaires. The results of the study indicate that brand-citizenship behavior consists of three components: willingness-to-help, brand enthusiasm, and propensity for further development. Propensity for further development has a significant direct positive effect on the other two components, and the other two components both have significant direct positive effects on customer's brand trust. Employee-perceived higher levels of organizational support increase performance of brand citizenship behavior. The study includes empirical findings, contributions to theory, limitations, and direction for future research.     

Consumers’ evaluation of brand portfolios

This study explores how consumers evaluate lodging brand portfolios and shows the important role of brand-specific associations and brand portfolio effects in forming brand attitudes toward extended brands. The findings suggest, in general, that both brand-specific associations and brand portfolio affect consumers’ evaluations of extended brands. In addition, brand fit and familiarity are found to be important in consumers’ attitude formation in that they moderate attitude transferability between a brand portfolio and its extended brands. Managerial implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Human baristas and robot baristas: How does brand experience affect brand satisfaction,brand attitude,brand attachment,and brand loyalty?

This study investigates the antecedents and consequences of brand satisfaction with the moderating role of type of barista. For this, data were collected from customers who used a coffee shop operated by robot baristas and customers who used a coffee shop operated by human baristas. The data analysis results showed that the four types of brand experience, such as sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual brand experiences, help to enhance brand satisfaction, which positively affects brand attitude, brand attachment, and brand loyalty. Finally, the type of barista plays a moderating role in the relationship between (1) sensory brand experience and brand satisfaction and (2) intellectual brand experience and brand satisfaction.     

The effects of customers’ perceptions of brand personality in casual theme restaurants

Although existing studies recommend that restaurant chains develop and communicate salient brand personalities, no research to date provides empirical evidence that perceptions of unique brand personality by consumers lead to positive outcomes in the restaurant business. Therefore, using a sample of 336 adults, this research models the causal relationships between brand personality perceptions, brand preference, attitudinal loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth (W-O-M) behavior for the Olive Garden and Chili's restaurant chains. It was found that for both chains, brand personality perceptions have a positive effect on brand preference and attitudinal loyalty, brand preference has a positive impact on attitudinal loyalty, and attitudinal loyalty has a positive influence on positive word-of-mouth (W-O-M) communication. In addition, for the Olive Garden and Chili's brands, it was also found that there is a direct link between brand preference and word-of-mouth behavior.     

How Customer Personality Traits Influence Brand Loyalty in the Coffee Shop Industry: The Moderating Role of Business Types

This study examines how perceptions associated with customer personality traits can affect customer satisfaction, customer brand identification (CBI), and involvement as well as the development of brand loyalty. Social identity theory was applied to explain these effects as it relates to coffee shop businesses and further investigate relationships between customers and a brand. The verified model with a survey sample of 743 customers confirmed that customer personality traits had significant effects on customer satisfaction and CBI. Customer satisfaction had positive effects on CBI, involvement, and brand loyalty. CBI had significant influences on involvement and brand loyalty. Involvement was, in turn, positively associated with brand loyalty. In addition, the relationships between these variables were moderated by business type (i.e., independent coffee shop vs. franchise coffee shop).     

Influence of Advertising on Brand Personality in The Airline Sector: The Case of Spain

This article outlines the findings of a study employing a partial least squares (PLS) structural equation methodology to explore the relationship among advertising and brand personality (BP) dimension of a validated Aaker's model (1997) in the airline business. BP refers to the emotional side of brand image. It is created by all experiences of consumers with a brand. The model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis and the effect of advertising on BP has been tested using PLS. The findings suggest that advertising influences the formation of BP only in the sophistication dimension. These results invite managers in the airline companies sector to develop communication strategies to create a distinguishing and attractive BP that will help them connect with their consumers.     

The antecedents of tourists’ gaming spend: does the brand prestige matter?

This study endeavors to empirically analyse the influential effect among brand prestige, service quality, casino visitor satisfaction and spend. Data from 304 tourists who had travelled to Macau and had participated in gambling activities were used and structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis were employed in hypotheses testing. The findings demonstrated that both brand prestige and perceived service quality are determinants of satisfaction and gaming spend, and that brand prestige also affects service quality positively. Furthermore, past experience moderates the service quality and visitors’ satisfaction relationship, also service quality and visitors’ gaming spend relationship.     

The formation of sub-brand love and corporate brand love in hotel brand portfolios

This study is the first, to our knowledge, to focus on the relationship between sub-brand love and corporate brand love in a hotel brand portfolio. With 425 responses from US travelers, this study finds that sub-brand intimacy and sub-brand passion are driven by ideal-self-sub-brand congruence and that sub-brand passion improves sub-brand intimacy. Both intimacy and passion for the sub-brand improve sub-brand commitment and increase sub-brand love, while sub-brand commitment also strengthens corporate brand love. Additionally, the spillover effects of sub-brand love extend to corporate brand love. This study clarifies Sternberg’s components of interpersonal love as the three love antecedents that form brand love for hotels and demonstrates the importance of aligning hotel sub-brands to fit with targeted consumers’ ideal self.     

Creating a model of customer equity for chain restaurant brand formation

The purpose of this research was to create and test a model of customer equity for chain restaurant brand formation. It has long been acknowledged that managing and enhancing customer equity influences a company's shareholder value, which is a reflection of long-term financial performance. A review of the current literature revealed three key determinants of customer equity: (1) value equity, (2) brand equity, and (3) relationship equity. Six hypotheses were derived and, based on data analysis, all six were supported. Value, brand, and relationship management were all confirmed to be important factors in enhancing customer equity in the chain restaurant industry. Further, brand equity has the strongest impact on the development of customer equity in this particular industry. Relationships among value equity, brand equity, and relationship equity were also identified. Managerial implications are discussed.     

Consumer-based chain restaurant brand equity,brand reputation,and brand trust

This study develops and tests a consumer-based chain restaurant brand equity(CBCRBE) model and investigates the mediating effects of brand reputation on the relationship between CBCRBE and brand trust. Using a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, the four dimensions of CBCRBE- food & service quality, brand affect, brand awareness, and brand association- are found to have positive effects on brand reputation. Moreover, it is demonstrated that brand reputation has a positive effect on brand trust. The results of study confirm that brand reputation partially mediates the effects of food & service quality, brand affect, and brand awareness on brand trust. In addition, the effect of brand association on brand trust is fully mediated via brand reputation. The study of CBCRBE offers insights into the efficient strategies that can be used to enhance brand reputation and secure brand trust in the restaurant industry. Finally, based on the result of the relationship between CBCRBE, brand reputation, and brand trust, the study compares the differences among the groups according to the consumer visit purposes in relation to the CBCRBE dimensions. The results of the study contribute to improve understanding of the complex psychological processes involved in consumer selection criteria for a chain restaurant or relevant service industry.     

Impacts of cruise industry corporate social responsibility reputation on customers’ loyalty: Mediating role of trust and identification

Despite the high relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in service businesses, investigations of its influence on the cruise sector are scarce. Relying on institutional theory, this study proposes a model with cruise customers’ trust and identification as the key factors between CSR reputation and customers’ loyalty. Using data from 292 cruise customers, results support the impact of customers’ perceived CSR reputation of cruise companies on two relational constructs and loyal behavior. Only customers’ identification mediates the relationships between reputation and brand loyalty. Thus, findings suggest that cruise customers likely form high-level loyal behavior when they perceive companies’ CSR activities and their similarities with such companies. From these significant findings, the authors draw several theoretical and practical implications, including the importance of enhancing the company’s focus on its CSR reputations. This study also provides directions to promote identity strengths for enhancing the impact of CSR reputation on company performance.