The influence of brand color identity on brand association and loyalty
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2017-1587 |
| Pages | 50-62 |
| Date | 11 February 2019 |
| Published date | 11 February 2019 |
| Author | ChangHyun Jin,MoonSun Yoon,JungYong Lee |
| Subject Matter | Marketing |
The influence of brand color identity on brand
association and loyalty
ChangHyun Jin
Department of Business Administration, Kyonggi University College of Economics and Business Administration,
Suwon, Republic of Korea
MoonSun Yoon
Department of Cabin Crew Operations, Asiana Airlines, Seoul, Republic of Korea, and
JungYong Lee
Department of Business Administration, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to understand the specific attributes of a brand’s color identity in an investigation of the relationship be tween color
identity, brand association and other factors, including brand loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach –Focus group interviews and open-ended questions were used initially to create items for the survey. After
excluding insincere responses, 781 responses to the questionnaire were used for the analysis. Structural equatio n modeling was performed to test
the hypotheses.
Findings –The results reveal that sub-factors that comprise the color identity construct are closely related to the components of brand association.
All components of brand association, including brand attribution, brand benefits and brand attitude, were shown to have a positive impact on brand
self-identification. In turn, brand self-identification was shown to have a positive impact on brand loyalty.
Research limitations/implications –The generalizability of the study’sfindings is limited insofar as only three components of the visual identity of
the airline company under study –its logo, airplane exteriors and cabin attendants’uniforms –were used for the color image analysis.
Practical implications –In marketing, color choices play a critical role in building brand identity as they positively affect a company’s brand
association in consumers’minds. Previous studies on airline brands have focused mainly on systematic factors related to service, prices and
scheduling.
Originality/value –Regarding brand identity, color is an important factor in visual communication. Among the psychological functions of color, it
has a communication function that can most directly and effectively deliver message and meaning of a company to consumers.
Keywords Brand association, Brand-self identification
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Many companies attempt to imbue their corporate (Jordá-
Albiñanaet al.,2009)and brand identities with uniquesymbolic
meaning to help consumers identify their companies in a
crowded marketplace and form imagesthey associate with those
identities (Argenti, 2007;Landa, 2006;Roy and Banerjee,
2014;Wheeler, 2006). Brand identity is a potentially effective
communication channel that can play a role in achieving
successful brand management with consumers (Roy and
Banerjee, 2014). In this context, a brand can serve as a realistic
standard for a consumer’s evaluation of a company’s products
and services. Branding also plays an important role in
developing strong brands in small- and medium-sized
enterprises (Mohan et al.,2018;Muhonen, Hirvonen and
Laukkanen, 2017). This is as true in the aviation industry as in
any other, where the formation of a positive and distinctive
brand identity is essential for s elling an intangib le product –
really a service –to consumers (Boatwright et al.,2009;
O’Connelland Williams, 2005;Veloutsouand Guzmán, 2017).
The formation of an airline company’sbrandidentityisnot
only a critical factor that differentiates it from other airline
companies; it can also be an efficient marketing tool that delivers
the company’s distinctive image to consumers (Jordá-Albiñana
et al.,2009;Roy and Banerjee, 2014). This study focuses on one
aspect of an airline company’s brand identity by investigating the
extent to which color can contribute to the effective development
of brand identity as a tool for communication between a
company and customers that supports or helps to create a strong
brand association in customers’minds.
Color is an important tool that delivers a brand image with
stronger persuasive power than shape, and it appeals to
emotions rather than rationality (Singh, 2006). Color is also
closely related to consumer behavior (Nitse et al.,2004). As a
result, color plays an effectivecommunication role in situations
where direct and specific verbal expression is difficult.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
28/1 (2019) 50–62
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-09-2017-1587]
Received 22 September 2017
Accepted 31 August 2018
50
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