Modeling the implicit brand: capturing the hidden drivers
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate modeling implicit attitudes as potential drivers of overall brand attitudes and stated behavior and investigate how the results are expected to be different from brand driver models that are based on explicit attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected via online surveys in five countries across 15 categories with sample sizes for each category/country combination in the range of about N = 1,000.
Findings
Implicit attitudes result in a higher number of significant effects than their explicit counterparts when used to explain behavioral intentions, brand closeness and brand usage in a multivariate situation with potential 12 brand attitude drivers. The authors also find fewer counter-intuitive effects in the implicit models. The results are consistent across 5 countries and across 15 categories (including CPG products, services and durable goods). They also show that implicit attitudes are less susceptible to response style effects (e.g. social desirability bias).
Research limitations/implications
The findings have implications for brand building and shopper activation. Further research should look into the impact of using implicit data on finding different brand segmentation and brand mapping results.
Practical implications
The findings have implications for brand building and shopper activation.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the fast-growing field of implicit attitudes. The paper confirms and generalizes previous findings. This is the first paper to the authors’ knowledge that has investigated the impact of implicit attitudes on overall brand attitudes and stated behavior in a multivariate context.
Keywords
Citation
Vriens, M. and Martins Alves, A. (2017), "Modeling the implicit brand: capturing the hidden drivers", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 600-615. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-10-2016-1327
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited