Investigating relationships between adolescents' liking for an apparel brand and brand self congruency
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how adolescents' self‐concept and brand image congruency are related to their level of liking for an apparel brand. It also aims to examine whether this relationship varies depending on adolescents' gender and identity development.
Design/methodology/approach
Self‐image congruency theory was used to investigate whether adolescents' liking for an apparel brand was related to perceived congruency between aspects of self‐concept and apparel brand. Male and female adolescents (n=140) between 14 and 18 years of age participated.
Findings
Adolescent consumers liked apparel brands that they linked to their ideal social self‐concept. This connection was particularly strong for male adolescents with less established identities.
Research limitations/implications
Adolescents liked an apparel brand when they reported a link between the brand and ideal social self‐concept. These adolescents may have used apparel brands to shape the views others formed of them.
Originality/value
Many questions concerning the basis for adolescents' apparel brand preferences have not been answered. Our research documents how male and female adolescents use branded apparel products in relation to their identity development status.
Keywords
Citation
Rhee, J. and Johnson, K.K.P. (2012), "Investigating relationships between adolescents' liking for an apparel brand and brand self congruency", Young Consumers, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 74-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/17473611211203957
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited