Building Consumer–Brand Relationship: A Cross-Cultural Experiential View

This research aims to develop a framework of consumer–brand relationship by taking an experiential view. In this article, the authors report a cross-cultural comparative study that was conducted on a sample of real consumers at coffee chain stores in Shanghai, China, and Taipei, Taiwan. The findings reveal that individual as well as shared experiences work through brand association, brand personality, brand attitude, and brand image to shape a consumer–brand relationship. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The development of consumer–brand relationship has been a focus of branding theory (e.g., Fournier, 1998; Franzen, 1999) in recent years. Through brand-related communications, the brand acts as a mechanism in engaging both buyer and seller in a long-term consumer–brand relationship (e.g., Davis, Oliver, & Brodie, 2000; Fournier, 1998; Keller, 1993, 1998; Rao & Ruekert, 1994). This relationship does not only occupy a critical position in the mental stage of a brand (e.g., Dyson, Farr, & Hollis, 1996; Keller, 2001), but it also engenders the state of greater sales, less price susceptibility, better loyalty, and higher margin (e.g., D. A. Aaker Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 23(11): 927–959 (November 2006) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. DOI: 10.1002/mar.20140 & Joachimsthaler, 2000; Duncan & Moriarty, 1998; Franzen, 1999). Relationship marketing has prompted brand managers to seek innovative ways to create mutually beneficial relationships with consumers (Mitchell & Orwig, 2002). Previous studies on consumer–brand relationships were mainly focused on the relationship formulation (e.g., Bagozzi, 1995; Duncan & Moriarty, 1997; Fournier, 1998; Peterson, 1995), relationship development (e.g., Fajer & Schouten, 1995; Fournier, 1998; Franzen, 1999), relationship pattern (e.g., D. A. Aaker & Joachimsthaler, 2000; Fajer & Schouten, 1995; Fournier, 1998; Kaltcheva & Weitz, 1999), relationship scheme (e.g., Blackston, 1992; Duncan & Moriarty, 1998; Fournier, 1994; Franzen, 1999; Hess, 1998; Martin, 1998), and the response effects of brand relationship (e.g., Kaltcheva & Weitz, 1999; Park & Kim, 2001). Although academicians recognize the importance of consumer–brand relationship, existing empirical evidences do not actually address the process of building a relationship with a brand (Park & Kim, 2001). The traditional method of brand marketing mostly appeals to functional links with consumers, but consumers now wish for a more compelling experience (Schmitt, 1999). A survey on experiential communication was conducted with a group of marketing executives, and two-thirds of the survey participants believed that spending on experiential communication will increase over the next five to ten years (Schmitt, 1999). Schmitt (1999) indicated that experiential marketing has proven itself to be a good starting point for studies on consumer–brand relationship. Franzen (1999) stated that the consumer–brand relationship is in the final stages of the mental brand responses. He also claimed that the consumer–brand relationship is formed by consumer experience and brand knowledge (or brand meanings). Meanwhile, Keller (2001) laid out a series of steps for building brand equity, also suggesting consumer–brand relationship as the final step. The consumer–brand relationship depends largely on the successful establishment of the brand meanings (i.e., brand personality, brand association, brand attitude, and brand image) in the minds of consumers. These brand meanings can be formed directly from a consumer’s experience. As the experience economy unfolds in the 21st century, brand marketers must bond with consumers by staging holistic brand experiences (e.g., Schmitt, 1999; Pine & Gilmore, 1999). Furthermore, brand meanings are becoming crucial mediators between brand experience and consumer–brand relationship. The present study differs from previous studies in three ways. First, whereas previous studies have focused more on emotional experience (e.g., Babin, Darden, & Griffin, 1994; Mano & Oliver, 1993; Richins, 1997; Westbrook & Oliver, 1991; C. Yoo, Park, & Maclnnis, 1998) or relate experience (e.g., Muniz & Guinn, 2001), the present study includes not only the emotional experience but also the sense, think, act, and relate experiences. Moreover, to the author’s best knowledge, this work is the first empirical study focusing on building consumer–brand relationship from the consumer’s experiential view.