درک غنای روابط نام تجاری (برند) :گفتگوی پژوهشی درباره نام های تجاری به عنوان عوامل عمدی

This essay offers some perspectives on Kervyn et al.'s insightful research on brand relationships and the role of perceived intentions and ability. After briefly discussing the importance of brand knowledge and functionality in understanding the diversity of brand relationships, some other antecedents and consequences of brand relationships are reviewed. Three antecedents of corporate credibility — expertise, trust, and likability — are suggested as another means to differentiate how consumers view different brands. Brand resonance — an intense, active loyalty relationship — is also suggested as an important outcome of brand relationships. The essay concludes by noting that any concept as complex as brand relationships lends itself to multiple concepts, perspectives, and analysis.

Understanding how consumers form relationships with and become loyal to brands is a topic of great importance in marketing. From Fournier's seminal work (Fournier, 1998) to more recent compilations assembling diverse and provocative sets of research perspectives (e.g., Fetscherin et al., 2012 and Macinnis et al., 2009), interest in consumer–brand relationships continues to grow from both academics and practitioners. Kervyn, Fiske, and Malone's research (2012--this issue), introducing the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework (BIAF), adds to our understanding in this area. This work adapts the Stereotype Content Model established in social psychology to a brand relationship setting. Specifically, the research redefines the two key factors make up the BIAF model — “warmth” and “competence” — in terms of “perceived intentions” and “ability,” respectively, and shows how these two redefined factors combine to differentially drive consumer emotions and behaviors. The main implication they draw from their research is that consumers can perceive brands in the same way that consumers perceive people. To provide some context and interpretation to their findings, I suggest several considerations. I begin by briefly discussing the role of brand knowledge and functionality in understanding the diversity of brand relationships. Next, I consider some other antecedents and consequences of brand relationships, focusing on the concepts of corporate credibility and brand resonance. I also review several important methodological issues related to the study of brands and brand relationships. I conclude by noting that the richness of brand relationships warrants multiple concepts, perspective, and analysis.

Kervyn et al. have provided a useful contribution to our understanding of brand relationships by highlighting how two important antecedent factors — perceived intentions and ability — differentially impact consumer response to brands. In this essay, we put forth some complimentary views suggested by their research. The three antecedents of corporate credibility — expertise, trust, and likability — offer similar help to differentiate how consumers view different brands. Brand resonance — an intense, active loyalty relationship — is also suggested as an important outcome of brand relationships. If nothing else, the discussion in this essay and from the other commentaries reinforces the notion that any concept as complex as brand relationships lends itself to multiple concepts, perspectives, and analysis.