브랜드 애착 및 관련 변수들에 관한 정성적 연구 (Qualitative Research on Brand Attachment and Related Variables.)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국산업경제학회
· 수록지 정보 : 산업경제연구 / 24권 / 6호 / 4047 ~ 4081페이지
· 저자명 : 이동대, 추미애

초록

브랜드 애착과 관련된 많은 연구에도 불구하고 브랜드 애착과 관련 변수들의 개념, 상호 관계 등은 여전히 불분명한 상태로 남아 있다. 본 연구는 브랜드 애착을 둘러 싼 이러한 혼란을 해소하기 위해 브랜드 애착 소비자들을 대상으로 브랜드 애착의 특징, 애착에 영향을 미치는 변수, 애착의 결과, 애착 성향의 이전 여부, 관련 변수들 간의 상호 관계 등을 심층 면접법을 통하여 조사 분석하고 있다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 브랜드 애착은 브랜드 사랑에 의해 시작되는 것으로 나타났다. 기존의 연구에서는 브랜드 사랑을 브랜드 애착과 동일한 것으로 보거나 충성도를 넘어서는 절대적인 감성으로 해석하는 경우도 있지만 본 연구에 의하면 브랜드 사랑은 애착과 몰입의 원인 변수로 보는 것이 타당한 것으로 나타났다. 또한 본 연구에서 브랜드 애착은 브랜드와의 정서적 유대감을 나타내고 브랜드 몰입은 브랜드와의 관계 유지를 계속하고자 하는 믿음이나 행동의도를 의미하는 것으로 파악되었다. 브랜드 사랑에 의해 촉발된 브랜드 애착과 몰입은 브랜드와의 분리 거부와 지속적 구매로 연결되고 이는 곧 브랜드에 대한 강력한 정서적 충성도의 형성을 의미하고 있었다. 브랜드 애착과 관련된 정서적 충성도는 전통적 개념의 인지적 충성도와는 분명한 차이점을 나타내었다. 본 연구는 이러한 발견 사항들을 바탕으로 향후 브랜드 애착 연구의 방향을 제시하고 경영적 시사점도 소개하고 있다.

영어초록

Despite various studies related with brand attachment, concepts of and relationships between brand attachment and related variables such as brand commitment, brand love, and brand loyalty are not much clear. The purpose of this study is to provide a wholesome perspective on brand attachment through analyses of characteristics of brand attaching consumers, variables affecting brand attachment, consequences of brand attachment, transfer of brand attachment tendency to other objects, and relationships with other variables.
In this study, an in-depth interview technique was utilized to figure out consumer purchasing and consuming patterns and contexts toward attaching brands. Nine interviewee with high brand attachment tendency were recruited through a snowballing technique. Pretest results comparing brand attachment tendency between the interviewee and 38 ordinary consumers confirmed appropriativeness of these people as an interview sample. All the contents of interview were recorded and completely transcribed later.
Before analyzing data, six research questions were developed. They are; (1) What are characteristics of brand attaching consumers? (2) What are antecedents of brand attachment? (3) What are the consequences of brand love? (4) What happens once brand attachments have developed? (5) Does brand attachment transfer to other objects? (6) What are the relationships and conceptual differences among brand loyalty, brand commitment, brand attachment, and brand love?Analysis results are as follow: First, brand attaching consumers show strong attachment tendency toward various aspects of everyday life. They generally maintain longer friendship than others and tend to attach themselves to products, foods, movie, and other objects. They also have strong materialistic attitudes. They feel sad or dejected when they do not have what they want. They are jealous of those having luxurious goods. They also think luxurious goods provide energy and happiness for their lives. They are highly conscious of their self-images and believe their attached brands would represent or improve their self-images.
Second, brand love is an antecedent of brand attachment. To develop brand attachments, consumers have to generate an emotional tie to a brand. Having an emotional tie to a brand is more than developing mere positive attitudes toward a brand. Based on an emotional tie, brand love can be grown. The process of falling in love with a brand is quite similar to falling in love with a person. Love can come suddenly or very slowly. Once brand love is established, consumers justify their love with the brand through positive feedback such as compliment, encouragement, and approval from other people.
Third, brand love leads to brand attachment and brand commitment. Brand attachment is defined as "an emotional tie to a brand felt through long-term interactions between a consumer and the brand," while brand commitment is defined as "belief or behavioral intention to maintain a continuous relationship with a brand." Although confusions remain in the relationship between brand attachment and brand commitment, current study believes that brand commitment affects brand attachment. A consumer's brand attachment is revealed by her trust and forgiveness to the brand. Her trust to the brand is unconditional, and she forgives her brand's problems generously. She also regards her attaching brand as a friend, mother, or a lover. She feels a strong emotional tie to the brand. Consumers with strong brand attachment shows symptoms of commitment. They think and use the brand every day, visit the brand outlet regularly, surf internet sites dealing with the brand quite often, purchase a new product from the brand whenever available, and spread positive words of mouth to other people.
Fourth, once brand attachment has been developed, consumers resist being separated from the brand. They want to maintain long-term relationship with the brand, and show anxiety against the possible separation from the brand. If their brands somehow cease to exist or sell, they say they will do whatever they can to restore or secure the brand. They believe attached brand improves their self image or differentiates their self image. In other words, their self esteem could be restored through brand attachments.
Fifth, consumers with brand attachment tend to transfer their attachment tendency to other objects. They generally have attaching objects other than a brand. If current attaching brand no longer exists or if they are fed up with the attaching brand for some reasons, they would seek a new attaching brand. It's like a person looking for a new partner after his love has been broken.
Sixth, relationships among brand loyalty, commitment, attachment, and love are as follow: Brand love ignites brand attachment and commitment. Brand attachment is represented by avoidance of separation from the brand, and brand commitment is represented by continuous purchase of the brand. Avoidance of separation from and continuous purchase of the brand lead to a strong brand loyalty.
Along with these findings, this study clarifies conceptual definitions of brand commitment, brand attachment, and brand love. Current study also suggests a new perspective on brand loyalty. It recommends brand loyalty need to be divided into two types: cognitive brand loyalty and affective brand loyalty. Affective brand loyalty, derived from brand attachment, is different from traditional brand loyalty. While traditional cognitive brand loyalty is based on rational thinking and cognitive processing, affective brand loyalty is based on affective processing and emotional tie.

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