Journal of Product & Brand Management

Publisher:: Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Publication date:: 2021-02-01

ISBN:: 1061-0421

Issue Number

No. 34-1, January - December - November - November - November - October - August - August - July 2024

Latest documents

Guest editorial: Package design: overcoming challenges for brands
Guest editorial: Beyond tech gimmicks: omni-digital touchpoints for products and brands
Influence of brand community social responsibility on consumer citizenship behaviors: mediating role of collective self esteem
Purpose: Drawing from social contagion theory, this study aims to clarify whether consumers become motivated to help a brand and its community when observing other members contributing to society. The authors also analyzed the boundary conditions and mechanisms of this process. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-method approach was used to test hypotheses. Study 1 collected survey data from Chinese automobile brand communities, which were analyzed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Study 2 conducted an experiment with a fictional Chinese smartphone brand community. Findings: Results showed that brand community social responsibility influenced brand community citizenship behavior but did not directly influence brand citizenship behavior. Collective self-esteem respectively mediated the relationships between brand community social responsibility and both brand community citizenship behavior and brand citizenship behavior. Additionally, a sequential mediation mechanism was identified, where collective self-esteem and brand community citizenship behavior functioned as the first and second mediators. Furthermore, membership duration positively moderated the relationship between brand community social responsibility and collective self-esteem and moderated the mediation effects. Practical implications: Brand community managers should conduct various social responsibility activities to elicit community and brand citizenship behaviors by cultivating ethical awareness. These activities should be tailored to the membership duration. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore how brand community social responsibility cultivates community and brand citizenship behavior. It is also based on social contagion theory to demonstrate the sequential mediation mechanism.
Packaging-free shopping: when retailers and consumers (re/mis)appropriate packaging functions
Purpose: Packaging-free shopping disrupts the usual retailing and consumption patterns in which packaging usually plays a central role. When manufacturers no longer offer predetermined packaging, how do retailers and consumers ensure packaging functions? Investigating the way packaging-free actors appropriate packaging functions during use is particularly important because they exert a new power over these functions, which can be challenging to appropriate. The purpose of this study is to contribute to a deeper understanding of why packaging-free shopping can be perceived as constraining. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from the literature on packaging functions and adopting Miller’s conceptual framework of appropriation, this research uses a qualitative method with a variety of discursive and visual data, including 54 interviews with experts from packaging-free product stores and consumers, 190 Instagram consumer posts and 428 in-store and at-home photographs. Findings: This research shows that packaging-free actors jointly appropriate packaging functions through two modes of appropriation (assimilation and accommodation) each encompassing distinct strategies and highlights the misappropriation that actors can experience, especially when prioritizing one function over another. Originality/value: This research contributes to the literature on packaging-free shopping, an emergent and growing trend that challenges conventional shopping models. The research reveals dark sides of packaging-free shopping – namely, the damaging effects on health and the environment and social exclusion. In particular, it discusses the ambivalence of the packaging-free shopping environmental function. This research also deepens insight into how individual acts of appropriation may lead to misappropriation.
Technology-enabled engagement process of brand virtual-try-on services
Purpose: New-age technologies are driving brand digitalization and influencing consumer retail experiences and consumption patterns. Although past research addresses users’/consumers’ acceptance of these technologies in retail, it refrains from thoroughly studying interaction and engagement. Stemming from the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this paper is to empirically study the practicality of the technology-enabled engagement process comprising stages of interaction, psychological engagement, value-in-use and behavioral engagement during consumers’ interactions with augmented reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning based virtual try-on services. Design/methodology/approach: Data from an online survey conducted in China of 339 consumers who experienced the virtual-try-on service is analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling. Findings: The results support the technology-enabled engagement process of brand virtual try-on services. Perceived ease of use and usefulness are robust antecedents of the framework during the interaction stage. Emotional and cognitive aspects contribute to the psychological engagement and value-in-use stages that convert into positive e-word of mouth and buying intentions about the brand in the behavioral engagement stage. Originality/value: The research contributes to the technology acceptance model, information systems and technology marketing literature by testing a novel technology-enabled engagement process, which previously lacked empirical validation. Specifically, it uses technology acceptance model constructs as antecedents of the technology-enabled engagement process framework, with behavioral intentions in the form of e-word of mouth and buying intentions as precedents. It also provides insights into brands’ virtual try-on services in online retail environments. Practical implications for brand managers are discussed.
From past to future: exploring two decades of branded apps
Purpose: This paper aims to offer an integrated framework for branded apps (BAs) that highlights research gaps and points to areas for future research. Design/methodology/approach: Using a systematic literature review approach, the authors analyzed more than 100 articles published between 2009 and the present. This research used databases such as SCOPUS, Web of Science, EBSCO and Elsevier’s Science Direct, with a particular focus on articles listed in the 2021 ABS index. The reviewed papers were coded and organized into four categories in terms of themes and concepts: antecedents, mechanisms, outcomes and moderators. Findings: The study identified four types of antecedents (app benefits, personal traits, brand benefits and others) that influence outcomes via cognitive, affective and a mix of both mechanisms, which is termed multipaths. The authors classified outcomes into five areas (financial gains; app benefits; brand benefits; customer benefits; and others). Moderators were grouped into four types (customer individuality; app features; brand characteristics; and others). The authors concluded by recommending promising directions for future research. Specifically, the authors suggested an inverted U-shaped relationship between escapism and customer responses to BAs. Originality/value: This paper focused exclusively on BAs, differentiating them from other mobile apps. The authors integrated nearly 100+ studies conducted over two decades. This integrated model serves as a guiding tool for understanding the past, present and future of BAs.
How to mitigate fashion subscription hesitation: two-step exploration using theory-based causal modeling and machine learning predictive modeling
Purpose: Although a fashion subscription offers significant environmental benefits by transforming physical products into shared services, most customers are reluctant to adopt it. This hesitation, exacerbated by poor communication from brands that primarily emphasize its personal benefits, hinders its sustainable growth. This study aims to examine specifically which concerns increase hesitation, and the role of explicitly informing consumers about the service’s environmental benefits in mitigating the impact of consumer concerns on their hesitation. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through an online experiment with more than a thousand U.S. adults nationwide and analyzed using a two-step analysis. First, theory-based causal modeling was conducted to examine the effects of consumer concerns on hesitation, accounting for ambivalence as a mediator and informed environmental benefits as a moderator. Second, machine learning was used to cross-validate the findings. Findings: Results show that certain types of consumer concerns increase hesitation, significantly mediated by ambivalence, and confirm that informed environmental benefits mitigate the effects of some concerns on hesitation. Originality/value: This study contributes to building on the hierarchy of effects theory by exploring negatively nuanced constructs – concerns, ambivalence and hesitation – beyond the traditional constructs representing the cognitive, affective and conative stages of consumer decision-making. Findings provide strategic guidance to brands on how to communicate the new service to consumers. Leveraging theory-based causal modeling with machine learning-based predictive modeling provides a novel methodological approach to explaining and predicting consumer hesitation toward new services.
Development and validation of omni- channel shopping value scale in Iran
Purpose: Today, the transition of retailers from multi-channel and cross-channel to omni-channel has become a necessity. Customers’ perceived shopping value is also one of the most important factors for retailers’ success. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop and validate the omni-channel shopping value scale. Design/methodology/approach: Based on 40 interviews (X = 18, Y = 22) and a literature review, items were generated for shopping value dimensions (utilitarian, hedonic and social) at four touchpoints. Then exploratory factor analysis was performed for scale purification (n = 562). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed (n = 528) for initial scale validation. A second CFA was conducted to validate the final scale (n = 302). To check the nomological validity of the scale, the effect of omni-channel shopping value on customer engagement (n = 455) was investigated in both generations. Findings: According to the results of the qualitative study, 73 items were identified. Based on the results of exploratory and CFA, nine components (50 items) were extracted and confirmed: utilitarian, hedonic and social shopping values for offline touchpoint and utilitarian and hedonic shopping values for online, application and social networks touchpoints. The results of nomological validity of the scale confirmed the effect of omni-channel shopping value on customer engagement in both generations. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to develop and validate an omni-channel shopping value scale based on customers’ shopping experiences with omni-channel brands. Therefore, this study provides a useful tool for researchers and marketing managers to measure omni-channel shopping value.
On the positive impact of fan communities on brands sponsoring rival teams
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if regional proximity and fan club involvement could be used to predict success for brands that jointly sponsor a team and their key rival. Design/methodology/approach: A brand with regional proximity to the rival teams it sponsored was identified. Fan club members of a major college sports team served as respondents. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model that predicted antecedents to purchase intentions and positive word-of-mouth based on individual fan characteristics. Findings: Results suggest that the intrinsic and social components of fanship as well as regional proximity facilitate the success of brands jointly sponsoring rivals. The intrinsic dimension of fandom foreshadowed approval of the joint sponsorship investigated but did not directly enhance the sponsor’s brand equity. Instead, it was demonstrated that fans must first approve of the joint sponsorship arrangement before conferring elevated brand equity onto the sponsor. Increased social interaction with the fan club resulted in higher levels of purchase intentions and positive word-of-mouth of the joint sponsor. Originality/value: This study differs from prior studies investigating joint sponsors in four ways. First, the intrinsic and social dimensions of fanship were measured within the context of a fan community. Second, the context of the study included a sponsor with regional proximity to both rival teams. Third, it was determined that the proclivity for social interaction within a fan community enhances the positive outcomes for joint sponsors. Fourth, unlike previous research studying joint sponsors, this study demonstrates a path to success for these brands.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and brand outcomes: a case of higher education
Purpose: Diversity, equity and inclusion ideology is the latest appeal of individual compassion, institutional legitimacy and enlightened society. Specific to higher education, diversity, equity and inclusion is an honorable ideology, value and mission. This paper aims to (1) empirically recognize the differences in the level of importance between the university’s and faculty’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, (2) identify the diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes, such as university brand image and student intention to engage postgraduation, (3) uncover the moderating role of university brand preference attainment and (4) validate the mediating role of student identification in diversity, equity and inclusion literature. Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 1,027 usable responses was employed to perform two moderations, four mediations and two confidence interval analyses. Findings: The university’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are significantly more rewarding than the faculty’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for the university brand image and students’ intention to engage postgraduation. Findings uncover the mediating role of student identification and the moderating role of brand preference attainment. Practical implications: Focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion at the institutional level is more impactful than at the faculty level. In industries where frontline employees have significant autonomy, such as higher education, the positive brand performance outcomes are related to the faculty’s diversity, equity and inclusion awareness, not the faculty’s diversity, equity and inclusion advocacy. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives should align with the student’s shared values. Originality/value: The study relies on institutional theory to underscore the asymmetric importance of the university’s and faculty’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in achieving perceived brand image and engagement.