Feminine and Masculine Brand Personalities and Consumer-based Brand Equity: An Explanation through Dual Mediation Model

Abstract

Currently, it is difficult for marketers to excel by virtuously focusing on traditional marketing approaches. Thus, marketing managers are relying more on the gender of the brand, as individuals are more attracted towards those brands which are consistent with their personalities. It has been proposed that brand personality is a crucial source of consumer-based brand equity, but empirical research on the relationship between perceptions of brand personality and brand equity is sparse. Considering the importance of brand gender, this study has analyzed the effect of brand gender on consumer-based brand equity through two mediators (i.e., consumer-brand engagement and emotional brand attachment) through an empirical investigation of 299 respondents. The model was shadowed under self-congruity theory. Structural equation modelling was utilised to test hypotheses. Results show that if managers position their brands based on gender and when there is a match between consumer gender and brand gender, it will engage the customers more and attract them, which helps build consumer-based brand equity.