by Dr Abdul Waheed|Acting Chairperson Department of Marketing, Assistant Professor, HEC Approved Supervisor
How often do we say that this brand is cool? Quite often. But what does it mean? Similarly, we say, I love this brand but what does this mean? Our research not only explains what Coolness and Love mean but also tells us about the relationship between these constructs. They both are positively correlated, meaning if the coolness of the brand increases, the love for the brand also increases.
Brand coolness is measured by the attractiveness, rebelliousness, usability, desirability, and reliability of the brand. Thus, if we have to see the coolness of any brand, we need to consider these 5 constructs. There is great learning for managers that they should focus on these five constructs when developing the narrative of their brands because coolness leads to brand love.
For managers, Brand Engagement is also critical. This research informs us that Brand Coolness leads to Brand love and then eventually this relationship leads to Brand Engagement. Thus, brand managers need to take brand coolness and brand love seriously. These relationships are valid for the hospitality industry and are based on about 500 respondents. So results can be used for the service industry.
Researchers can use these research findings to further strengthen their research. For example, the current research was conducted in the Chinese environment. It can be replicated in the Pakistani environment. It can also be replicated in other industry settings such as FMCG. Furthermore, new dimensions can be tested along this model, such as self-brand connection.