Journal
MARKETING LETTERS
Volume 33, Issue 2, Pages 237-250Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11002-021-09583-7
Keywords
Brand ritual; New brand; Self-brand connection; Ritualistic behaviors; Mindfulness; Purchase motivation
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [72072098, 71991462]
- Beijing Social Science Foundation Key Program [18GLA005]
- Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program [2019THZWJC16]
- New Economic Development Subcenter of Institute for Sustainable Development Goals of Tsinghua University [NEDS-YB-ZJ-2021-001]
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This research explores how new brands can use rituals to establish consumer connections, finding that ritualistic behaviors enhance consumers' connection with and purchase intention for new brands through mindfulness.
The present research examines whether and how new brands can use rituals to establish consumer connections at the initiation stage of the consumer-brand relationship. Although many brands attempt to use rituals to achieve a special standing in consumers' mind, little is known about the mechanism through which rituals affect consumers' responses to brands, particularly when consumers encounter a new brand or product. We propose that ritualistic behaviors enhance consumers' connections with, and purchase intention for, a new brand through mindfulness and that the behavioral dimension of rituals plays a critical role. Moreover, we propose consumers' purchase motivation as the moderator, such that the effects of rituals on new brands are mitigated when purchase motivation is utilitarian (vs. hedonic). We present convergent evidence for the hypotheses across one field experiment and two actual product consumption experiments. These findings contribute to several streams of marketing research and offer actionable managerial implications for companies.
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