The role of brand image congruity in Chinese consumers ... - Emerald

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Brand image congruity in Chinese consumers’ brand preference Jing Hu, Xin Liu, Sijun Wang and Zhilin Yang Lynch, J. and Schuler, D. (1994), “The match-up effects of spokesperson and product congruency: a schema theory interpretation”, Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 417-45. McNeal, J.U. and Yeh, C. (1997), “Development of consumer behavior patterns among Chinese children”, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 3-59. Meyers-Levy, J. and Tybout, A.M. (1989), “Schema congruity as a basis for product evaluation”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 39-55. Mowle, J. and Merrilees, B. (2005), “A functional and symbolic perspective to branding Australian SME wineries”, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 220-7. Nunnally, J.C. and Bernstein, I.H. (1994), Psychometric Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Oster, S. and Fairclough, G. 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(1989), “The effects of brand positioning strategies on consumers’ brand and category perceptions: some insights from schema research”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 457-67. Wind, Y. (1973), “A new procedure for concept evaluation”, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 10, pp. 2-11. Wyer, R.S. and Scrull, T.K. (1986), “Human cognition in its social context”, Psychological Review, Vol. 93, pp. 322-59. Yau, O.H.M., Chan, T.S. and Lau, K.F. (1999), “Influence of Chinese cultural values on consumer behavior: a proposed model of gift-purchasing behavior in Hong Kong”, Journal of International Consumer Marketing, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 97-116. About the authors Journal of Product & Brand Management Volume 21 · Number 1 · 2012 · 26–34 Jing Hu is Assistant Professor of Marketing at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She received her PhD in Marketing from New Mexico State University. She has research interests in consumer decision making and crosscultural consumer behavior and has published in Journal of Business Ethics, Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Education for Business, and International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, among others. Jing Hu is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: hu@csupomona.edu Xin Liu is Assistant Professor of Marketing at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She received her PhD in Marketing from Kent State University. Her research focuses on brand leverage strategies and financial performance of branding activities. Sijun Wang received her PhD in Marketing from University of Alabama. She is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing and Business Law, Loyola Marymount University. She studies services marketing and relationship marketing. Her works have appeared in Organization Science, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Interactive Marketing, and others. Zhilin Yang is Associate Professor of Marketing at City University of Hong Kong. He received his PhD in Marketing from New Mexico State University. He has published in Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Business Research, Information & Management, International Marketing Review, Journal of Advertising Research, Marketing Research, and Psychology & Marketing, among others. His main research interests include customer product review in electronic commerce, customer satisfaction, value, and loyalty, and network analysis and governance strategies in marketing channels. Executive summary and implications for managers and executives This summary has been provided to allow managers and executives a rapid appreciation of the content of the article. Those with a particular interest in the topic covered may then read the article in toto to take advantage of the more comprehensive description of the research undertaken and its results to get the full benefit of the material present. Many studies have been conducted in the Western world into the significance of brand image. A general consensus is that image is created through various attributes and associations that consumers hold about a brand. These images are functional and symbolic, and consumer response to them is triggered by how they compare to different real and ideal product, self and social reference points. Response impacts on consumer attitude, purchase intention and loyalty relevant to that particular brand and how it performs in the market. Brand image congruity is the term afforded to the association between a brand’s image and a consumer’s chosen references. When a brand’s image is congruent with what the consumer desires and expects, a positive evaluation occurs. The functional image of a brand concerns “tangible and product-related” attributes that determine how it performs. Symbolic needs are internal and reflect an individual’s self-expression indicated by such as 33
Brand image congruity in Chinese consumers’ brand preference Jing Hu, Xin Liu, Sijun Wang and Zhilin Yang attractiveness and prestige. For both dimensions, image congruity occurs when consumer expectations are satisfied by brand performance. According to one perspective, consumers adopt a hierarchical approach to information processing. They will process symbolic information before functional information because the former is easier to retrieve from memory. This view further purports that consumers are somewhat selective in what they choose to retrieve and will also primarily consider information which bests aids judgment. Having previous experience with a brand moderates the relationship between brand image congruity and brand preference. Being familiar gives people knowledge about a brand and how its tangible and intangible attributes connect. The premise here is that brand familiarity alters the relative impact of congruent and incongruent information on product evaluation. Incongruence has a greater influence for those whose familiarity is low. However, incongruent information is less likely to determine preference when consumers are well versed with the brand. Familiarity serves to counter its effect. Essentially, those equipped with prior knowledge are better placed to resolve discrepancies posed by incongruent information. Hu et al. examine the issues in a study involving the automobile market in China. The country was selected as the study context for reasons that include its economic growth, huge population and increasing importance to the global marketplace. That China is the second biggest auto market adds further significance. Average income levels make automobiles a major purchase decision for most Chinese consumers. The search for information is therefore assumed to be comprehensive. The study concentrates on medium sedans and for product stimuli uses Bora and Mazda 6, two popular brands in this market. Surveys were administered to 1,440 consumers familiar with the two brands and who had previously bought a medium-priced sedan or intended to in the near future. Subjects for the study were recruited in seven major Chinese cities of varying size. The gender split within the sample was virtually equal. Demographic information was collected and participants were asked to indicate perceived and desired levels of performance for both functional and symbolic image based on 14 different attributes. Brand familiarity and brand preference were also measured. Analysis revealed that: . Functional image congruity positively impacts on brand preference. This effect is stronger still for consumers whose familiarity with the brand is low. . Symbolic image congruity influences functional image congruity. . Familiarity moderates the relationship between brand preference and functional image. Findings about the effect of symbolic image congruity on brand preference were somewhat contrary to expectation. It was not significant when perceived level of performance was Journal of Product & Brand Management Volume 21 · Number 1 · 2012 · 26–34 higher than desired performance level. And in the condition when desired level of performance exceeded the perceived level, a negative impact on brand preference was recorded. That familiarity did not moderate the relationship between symbolic image congruity and brand preference was likewise unanticipated. The same relationships were evident in the separate investigations that were conducted in respect of the Bora and Mazda brands. Differences between this study and an earlier one in the USA were noted. However, those researchers also discovered a negative relationship between symbolic image congruity and brand preference in relation to clothing department stores. The authors believe that the connection between the two studies is that both purchase situations reflect “conspicuous consumption”. This might have special significance in Chinese culture, where attaining and preserving honor in social contexts is paramount. It is therefore proposed that greater appeal to Chinese consumers can be achieved by promoting symbolic brand image as being higher than what consumers ideally expect. A key assumption here is that marketers should strive to “localize their strategies” to a certain extent in order to enhance performance in potentially diverse markets. Advancing the same image globally appears risky by comparison. Hu et al. put forward a reason for the apparent lack of moderating effect of brand familiarity on the relationship between symbolic image congruity and brand preference among Chinese consumers. The suggestion is that the effect of symbolic image congruity operates at a higher abstract level and therefore demands fewer “itemized analyses” than functional brand image. Nevertheless, the authors recommend marketing campaigns that strengthen brand familiarity as it helps build a more favorable brand image. Brand preference can be increased if superior symbolic image is also developed. Relationships found in the current study between functional image congruity, brand preference and brand familiarity mirror those found by Western scholars. Most of these earlier studies were conducted in retail store contexts and extending these findings to auto products further indicates their reliability. The importance of effectively managing functional attributes is therefore emphasized. Future research might explore other emerging markets that differ to China in terms of such as cultural heritage, economic development or consumer refinement. Another possibility is to measure congruity using reference points different to perceived and ideal levels. Industry standards or self-identity are possible alternatives among others. A consideration of other product categories is likewise proposed. Automobiles from different price brackets could be examined, as might luxury items or products of a more everyday nature. (A précis of the article “The role of brand image congruity in Chinese consumers’ brand preference”. Supplied by Marketing Consultants for Emerald.) To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight.com Or visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints 34
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