The Research of Status’s Influence on Consumers’ Self-Brand Connection with Luxury Brands: Moderating Role of Self-Esteem and Vanity*
ABSTRACT
With the rapid development of social economy and the improvement of living quality, consumers are inclined to demonstrate their social status by using luxury brands today. This research explores the influence that the status of consumers makes on their self-brand connection with luxury brands, as well as the regulating effect of self-esteem and vanity from the perspective of Chinese cultural background. The analysis of the data shows that: in traditional Chinese cultural background, the higher the status of the consumer is, the higher the comsumer’s self-brand connection with luxury brands is, and vice verse. Self-esteem and vanity have a regulating effect on this relationship. When consumers’ self-esteem level is low, if their status is lower too, then their self-brand connection with luxury brands is higher than that of the high status; and when consumers’ self-esteem level is high, the result is opposite. The level of consumers’ social status has no significant effect on their self-brand connection with luxury brands when they are in low vanity, while to highly peacockish consumers, the self-brand connection with luxury brands of those with low status is significantly lower than that of the high status. We also have discussed the results and given the marketing proposal in the end.
With the rapid development of social economy and the improvement of living quality, consumers are inclined to demonstrate their social status by using luxury brands today. This research explores the influence that the status of consumers makes on their self-brand connection with luxury brands, as well as the regulating effect of self-esteem and vanity from the perspective of Chinese cultural background. The analysis of the data shows that: in traditional Chinese cultural background, the higher the status of the consumer is, the higher the comsumer’s self-brand connection with luxury brands is, and vice verse. Self-esteem and vanity have a regulating effect on this relationship. When consumers’ self-esteem level is low, if their status is lower too, then their self-brand connection with luxury brands is higher than that of the high status; and when consumers’ self-esteem level is high, the result is opposite. The level of consumers’ social status has no significant effect on their self-brand connection with luxury brands when they are in low vanity, while to highly peacockish consumers, the self-brand connection with luxury brands of those with low status is significantly lower than that of the high status. We also have discussed the results and given the marketing proposal in the end.
Cite this paper
Ye, S. , Liu, X. and Shi, S. (2015) The Research of Status’s Influence on Consumers’ Self-Brand Connection with Luxury Brands: Moderating Role of Self-Esteem and Vanity*. Open Journal of Business and Management, 3, 11-19. doi: 10.4236/ojbm.2015.31002.
Ye, S. , Liu, X. and Shi, S. (2015) The Research of Status’s Influence on Consumers’ Self-Brand Connection with Luxury Brands: Moderating Role of Self-Esteem and Vanity*. Open Journal of Business and Management, 3, 11-19. doi: 10.4236/ojbm.2015.31002.
References
[1] Escalas, J.E. and Bettman, J.R. (2003) You Are What They Eat: The Influence of Reference Groups on Consumers’ Connections to Brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13, 339-348.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15327663JCP1303_14 [2] Swaminathan, V., Page, K.L. and Gürhan-Canli, Z. (2007) “My” Brand or “Our” Brand: The Effects of Brand Relationship Dimensions and Self-Construal on Brand Evaluations. Journal of Consumer Research, 34, 248-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/518539 [3] Carroll, B.A. and Ahuvia, A.C. (2006) Some Antecedents and Outcomes of Brand Love. Marketing Letters, 17, 79-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11002-006-4219-2 [4] Moore, D.J. and Homer, P.M. (2008) Self-Brand Connections: The Role of Attitude Strength and Autobiographical Memory Primes. Journal of Business Research, 61, 707-714.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2007.09.002 [5] Zhang, M.X. (2005) Confucian Cultural Values Interpretation of Symbolic Purchase Behavior-Concept Definition, Measurement, Modeling, and Marketing Strategy Proposal. Chinese Industrial Economy, 3, 106-112. [6] Weiss, Y. and Fershtman, C. (1998) Social Status and Economic Performance: A Survey. European Economic Review, 42, 801-820. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0014-2921(97)00137-2 [7] Dreze, X. and Nunes, J. (2009) Feeling Superior: The Impact of Loyalty Program Structure on Consumer’s Perception of Status. Journal of Consumer Research, 35, 890-905.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/593946 [8] O’Cass, A. and McEwen, H. (2004) Exploring Consumer Status and Conspicuous Consumption. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 4, 25-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cb.155 [9] Wang, X., Cai, W., Sun, J.Q., Wu, S., Feng, Z.Q. and Jin, S.H. (2014) The Development and Comparison of Power: From the Perspective of Social Psychology Theory. Advances in Psychological Science, 22, 139-149. [10] Sun, C.C. (2008) Symbol Consumption and Identity Ethics. Morality and Civilization, 1, 7-10. [11] Rucker, D.D., Galinsky, A.D. and Dubois, D. (2012) Power and Consumer Behavior: How Power Shapes Who and What Consumers Value. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22, 352-368.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.06.001 [12] Coopersmith, S. (1982) The Antecedents of Self-Esteem. The Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 21, 18-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2164-4683.1982.tb00207.x [13] Rudich, E.A. and Gregg, A.P. (2007) Self-Esteem Moderates Preferences for Accepting Versus Rejecting Interaction Partners. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37, 955-967.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.408 [14] White, K., Argo, J.J. and Sengupta, J. (2012) Dissociative versus Associative Responses to Social Identity Threat: The Role of Consumer Self-Construal. Journal of Consumer Research, 39, 704-719.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/664977 [15] Zhang, W.L. (2004) Study of Taiwan College Students about Characteristics of Vanity, Materialism and the Relationship between Price Perception. Journal of Management, 21, 629-651. [16] Yuan, S.F., Gao, Y. and Zheng, Y.X. (2009) Face Consciousness, Position Consumption Propensity and Conspicuous Consumption Behavior—Theoretical Model and Empirical Test. Collected Essays on Finance and Economics, 5, 81-86. [17] Schiffman, L.G., Hansen, H. and Kanuk, L. (2011) Consumer Behavior: A European Outlook. Financial Times Prentice Hall, New York. [18] Johar, J.S. and Sirgy, M.J. (1991) Value-Expressive versus Utilitarian Advertising Appeals: When and Why to Use Which Appeal. Journal of Advertising, 20, 23-33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00913367.1991.10673345 [19] Davidson, N.M. (2009) Property and Relative Status. Michigan Law Review, 107, 757-817. [20] Rosenberg, M. (1972) Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. 3rd Edition, Princeton University Press, Princeton. [21] Netemeyer, R.G., Burton, S. and Lichtenstein, D.R. (1995) Trait Aspects of Vanity: Measurement and Relevance to Consumer Behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 21, 612-626.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/209422
[1] Escalas, J.E. and Bettman, J.R. (2003) You Are What They Eat: The Influence of Reference Groups on Consumers’ Connections to Brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13, 339-348.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15327663JCP1303_14 [2] Swaminathan, V., Page, K.L. and Gürhan-Canli, Z. (2007) “My” Brand or “Our” Brand: The Effects of Brand Relationship Dimensions and Self-Construal on Brand Evaluations. Journal of Consumer Research, 34, 248-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/518539 [3] Carroll, B.A. and Ahuvia, A.C. (2006) Some Antecedents and Outcomes of Brand Love. Marketing Letters, 17, 79-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11002-006-4219-2 [4] Moore, D.J. and Homer, P.M. (2008) Self-Brand Connections: The Role of Attitude Strength and Autobiographical Memory Primes. Journal of Business Research, 61, 707-714.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2007.09.002 [5] Zhang, M.X. (2005) Confucian Cultural Values Interpretation of Symbolic Purchase Behavior-Concept Definition, Measurement, Modeling, and Marketing Strategy Proposal. Chinese Industrial Economy, 3, 106-112. [6] Weiss, Y. and Fershtman, C. (1998) Social Status and Economic Performance: A Survey. European Economic Review, 42, 801-820. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0014-2921(97)00137-2 [7] Dreze, X. and Nunes, J. (2009) Feeling Superior: The Impact of Loyalty Program Structure on Consumer’s Perception of Status. Journal of Consumer Research, 35, 890-905.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/593946 [8] O’Cass, A. and McEwen, H. (2004) Exploring Consumer Status and Conspicuous Consumption. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 4, 25-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cb.155 [9] Wang, X., Cai, W., Sun, J.Q., Wu, S., Feng, Z.Q. and Jin, S.H. (2014) The Development and Comparison of Power: From the Perspective of Social Psychology Theory. Advances in Psychological Science, 22, 139-149. [10] Sun, C.C. (2008) Symbol Consumption and Identity Ethics. Morality and Civilization, 1, 7-10. [11] Rucker, D.D., Galinsky, A.D. and Dubois, D. (2012) Power and Consumer Behavior: How Power Shapes Who and What Consumers Value. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22, 352-368.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.06.001 [12] Coopersmith, S. (1982) The Antecedents of Self-Esteem. The Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 21, 18-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2164-4683.1982.tb00207.x [13] Rudich, E.A. and Gregg, A.P. (2007) Self-Esteem Moderates Preferences for Accepting Versus Rejecting Interaction Partners. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37, 955-967.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.408 [14] White, K., Argo, J.J. and Sengupta, J. (2012) Dissociative versus Associative Responses to Social Identity Threat: The Role of Consumer Self-Construal. Journal of Consumer Research, 39, 704-719.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/664977 [15] Zhang, W.L. (2004) Study of Taiwan College Students about Characteristics of Vanity, Materialism and the Relationship between Price Perception. Journal of Management, 21, 629-651. [16] Yuan, S.F., Gao, Y. and Zheng, Y.X. (2009) Face Consciousness, Position Consumption Propensity and Conspicuous Consumption Behavior—Theoretical Model and Empirical Test. Collected Essays on Finance and Economics, 5, 81-86. [17] Schiffman, L.G., Hansen, H. and Kanuk, L. (2011) Consumer Behavior: A European Outlook. Financial Times Prentice Hall, New York. [18] Johar, J.S. and Sirgy, M.J. (1991) Value-Expressive versus Utilitarian Advertising Appeals: When and Why to Use Which Appeal. Journal of Advertising, 20, 23-33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00913367.1991.10673345 [19] Davidson, N.M. (2009) Property and Relative Status. Michigan Law Review, 107, 757-817. [20] Rosenberg, M. (1972) Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. 3rd Edition, Princeton University Press, Princeton. [21] Netemeyer, R.G., Burton, S. and Lichtenstein, D.R. (1995) Trait Aspects of Vanity: Measurement and Relevance to Consumer Behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 21, 612-626.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/209422