The Role of Brand Love toward Brand Loyalty on Automotive

Products

Yusniar

, Jasman J. Ma’ruf, Sulaiman, Permana Honeyta Lubis

Faculty of Economics, University of Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia

Keywords: Brand image, Brand Love, Brand Loyalty

Abstract: There has been a growing research interest in the area of brand loyalty. Despite strong attention to brand

loyalty in the marketing literature, it looks like there has not been a clear-cut way of defining concepts. Some

previous research concludes that to increase brand loyalty, it can be done through brand image. (Durrani,

2003, Dhillon, 2033, Nandan, 2005,). One example is Durrani's (2003) study which states that consumers who

have positive image in a brand will be more likely to repeat purchase. However, most other researchers argue

that to increase brand loyalty, must have an emotional attachment to the brand. This factor is called brand

love (Carrol and Ahuvia, 2006, Maztler 2006, Albert, 2008, Batra, 2012, Sarkar, 2014, Munnuka, 2010). On

that statement it can be concluded that brand love has become the most important part that must be realized

by many industries and companies because brand love can build consumer attachment to the brand. This

research aims to explore the relationship between antecedents of brand love and relationship to brand loyalty

through brand love.

1 INTRODUCTION

Be advised that papers in a technically unsuitable

form will be returned for retyping. After returned the

manuscript must be appropriately modified.

There has been a growing research interest in the

area of Brand Loyalty. Despite strong attention to

brand loyalty in the marketing literature, it looks like

there has not been a clear-cut way of defining

concepts. Brand image is the consumer perception of

a brand consisting of a set of brand associations that

exist in the minds of consumers which connects the

consumer thinking toward a brand (Keller,2003).

Perceptions formed by personal experience that

consumers can become stronger if consumers

experience the positive experience of the product.

(Durrani,2003). Customer loyalty is the customer

who has a tendency to make repeat purchases of the

products / services of the same company, has a high

consistency in the company, and have immunity

against other . Further study explains that the image

of the brand depicted from the superiority, strength

and uniqueness of the product is not enough to

increase brand loyalty (Nandan, 2005, skoog, 2015).

so it takes insertion of brand love to increase brand

loyalty (Ahuvia,200,batra, 2012) which are called

brand love. In the new era of marketing (new era

marketing) as it is today, attention to the brand love is

like a building that can be seen with the growing

relationship between consumers with the brand. On

that statement it can be concluded that brand love has

become the most important part that must be realized

by many industries and companies because brand

love can build consumer attachment to the brand. This

research aims to explore the relationship between

brand trust relationship to brand loyalty through

brand love, especially on automotives products.

Looking at the phenomenon, there is a possibility in

the future, the car brand in the down position can

catch up to the top if the car manufacturer is not able

to retain customers. This is based on previous

research that has been done in the context of the car

industry that links to brand loyalty. The study

suggests that to increase brand loyalty, a mediating

factor is required to strengthen loyalty to the brand in

the future.

2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Based on the background of the above research, the

problem is the limited understanding of the

components of whether brand image can be anteseden

brand love to increase brand loyalty and limited

Yusniar, ., Ma’ruf, J., Sulaiman, . and Lubis, P.

The Role of Brand Love toward Brand Loyalty on Automotive Products.

DOI: 10.5220/0010045705130517

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Computer, Environment, Agriculture, Social Science, Health Science, Engineering and Technology (ICEST 2018), pages 513-517

ISBN: 978-989-758-496-1

513

understanding of whether there is an indirect

influence between brand image to brand loyalty

through brand love.

3 LITERATURE REVIEW

3.1 Brand Loyalty

Brand loyalty is the most expected outcome of a study

on consumer behavior (Arslan, 2010). There are

many definitions of brand loyalty in terms of different

perspectives. However, in general, loyalty is divided

into two things. Namely, attitude loyalty and

behavioral loyalty. In reality, however, the commonly

used definition is the explanation that brand loyalty is

a consistent consumer preference for purchasing on

the same brand on a specific product or service

category. Concerning the statement, the most

common definition of loyalty is something that

consumers can be a reflection of a product, service,

store, product category (eg cigarette), and activity (eg

swimming). Here will be used brand loyalty

terminology. This is to know that customer loyalty is

part of someone, not something that attaches to the

brand. Unfortunately, there is no universally agreed

definition (Oliver, 1999).Based on the above

description, the authors conclude that brand loyalty

consists of attitude and behavior. That is, attitude

loyalty is related to all perceptions and feelings of

consumers about the product and brand to show

commitment to the extent to which a consumer's

loyalty to a brand, while behavioral loyalty is the

loyalty of the brand based on the actions and buying

behavior, ie customers make repeated purchases

regularly and buy between product and service lines,

referring to others and showing immunity to

competitors' attractions.

3.2 Brand Love

Brand love has become the most important part that

industry and companies need to recognize because

brand love can build consumer attachment to brands

and sometimes be able to grant forgiveness to

mistakes and some brand failures (Munnuka, 2010)

.According to Carrol and Ahuvia (2006) consumer

love of the brand, will make the consumer more loyal

to the brand or spread positive words about the brand

to various parties. From the above statement can be

concluded that although there are differences in

define brand love, but previous studies define brand

love that refers to the attitude of satisfied consumers

after they bought the brand (Carroll & Ahuvia, 2006).

Carroll & Ahuvia (2006) further develops the

definition of love of this brand as the level of

emotional love of a satisfied consumer on the brand.

As mentioned above, several theories of love between

individuals have been used and expressed to have the

ability to be applied in consumer behavior research

(Batra et al., 2012; Albert et al., 2008).

3.3 Brand Image

In the business, brands have been defined as names,

terms, signs, symbols, or designs or combinations of

them intended to identify the goods or services of a

person or group of sellers to distinguish them from

competing products or goods (Zeithml, 2012).

Whereas according to Aaker (2005), a brand is

defined as a name, sign, symbol, or design that is

created to mark or identify products offered by the

customer. Based on the above explanation, it can be

concluded that the mark is the name, term, sign,

symbol, or design or combination of them all intended

to identify the goods or services of a person or group

of sellers to distinguish them from competitors'

products or goods.

After knowing the brand, it takes understanding

understanding of the image. In the competitive

market dynamics, brand image has a very important

role because it differentiates a company or product

with others. In a brand image contained some things

that explain about the brand as a product and also

brand as an organization, brand as a symbol. Brand

image can also be created from other factors. Brand

image or Brand image can be created with a very long

time can also with a short time. Based on this, this

study builds the dimensions proposed by Nandan

(2005) and reinforced previous research by Keller

(2003) which mentions the dimensions of the image

formers are as follows:

 Brand favorability

One of the factors that make up Brand Image is

the superiority of the product, where the product is

superior in competition. Brand favorability where

consumers believe that the attributes and benefits

provided by the brand will be able to meet or satisfy

their needs and desires so that they form a positive

attitude toward the brand.

 Brand Strengtheness

The power of the brand depends on how

information enters the customer's memory and how

the process endures as part of the brand image. The

strength of this brand association is a function of the

amount of information processing received in the

ecoding process. When a consumer actively describes

the meaning of information of a product or service it

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Technology

514

will create an increasingly strong association in

consumer memory.

 Brand Uniqueness

Uniqueness is the association of a brand

inevitably must be divided with other brands.

Therefore, must be created a competitive advantage

that can be used as a reason for consumers to choose

a particular brand. By positioning the brand more

leads to experience or benefit themselves from the

image of the product. From the existing differences,

both from products, services, personnel, and channels

expected to make a difference and competitors.

Which can provide benefits for producers and

consumers or in other words is the uniqueness-

uniqueness owned by the product / brand.

Theoritical Framework

Figure 1: Model of Research

4 METHODS

Based on the research objectives described in the

previous chapter, this research can be classified into

two categories: qualitative and quantitative. Research

is based on qualitative methods is to understand social

or human problems from various perspectives. Thus,

qualitative research is an inductive method in which

researchers focus on the mind to investigate the

problem in depth and detail. But This method is also

based on Quantitative, because research is more

concerned with the problem of how much, better, or

to whom this problem occurs. The purpose of this

research is to know the influence of brand love on

brand loyalty to car customers in Aceh Province.

4.1 Samples

The sample is part of the population whose

characteristics are to be investigated and considered

to represent the entire population (fewer than the

population).

By population, the following will show the

number of samples in the table below:

Table 1: Number of Sample Based on Car User Center in

Aceh

Centre in Aceh Populations Samples

Banda Aceh

39.974

160

Lhokseumawe

19.987

Meulaboh

15.989

Meulaboh

14.990

Takengon

4.996

Kutacane

3.997

Totals

99.933

400

Source : Province of Aceh

4.2 Collecting Data Techniques

As described in the previous chapter, the sampling

technique used is Nonprobability Sampling.

According to (Hair, 2010) Nonprobability Samplingis

a way of selecting elements from the population to

become members of the sample, where each element

does not get the same opportunity to choose. The

more specific technique taken by researchers in

nonprobablity sampling is purposive sampling

technique, that is the sample is taken with certain

intention or purpose, which is considered the sample

meets the appropriate characteristics and can assist

the researcher in doing the research.

4.3 Hypothesis Testing Design

This test refers to regression value analysis

(Regression Weights Analysis Structural Equation

Modeling). Hypothesis testing is based on Critical

Ratio (CR) value and Probability (P) value of the data

if required, ie CR> 1.96 and P <0,05. If the result

shows a value that meets the requirements, then the

hypothesis is acceptable. As mentioned earlier, this

study also has a mediation variable, that is, brand

love, so there is a need to test the mediation effect as

suggested by Kelloway (1995). This process is also

carried out through a structural equation model in

which structural equation models are viewed as

superior models in mediation testing as described by

Anderson & Gerbing (1988) and Kelloway (1995).

The Role of Brand Love toward Brand Loyalty on Automotive Products

515

5 RESULT

The results of the above analysis found that the value

of Chi-square = 387.203 (p <.000) with X2 /df =

8.770. GFI value of 0.907 and TLI of 0.956 <0.90

shows the result of marginal fit and only CFI of 0.882

indicating good fit indices. However, RMSEA values

higher than 0.08 still show unsatisfactory value.

Based on data that has been validated according

to the model of measurement equation through the

first step approach, further analysis can be done with

the second-step approach or structural equation

model. In the previous section, the results of the

measurement model have achieved acceptable fit

index results, with statistically significant and

significant parameters. The structural approach

emphasizes the testing of theoretical models or

frameworks of this study which can be seen in the

following study.

6 DISCUSSION

As the main objective of this research is to confirm

that in the future, in the formation of brand image of

brand loyalty, it is necessary to insert brand love so

that brand loyalty will become stronger. The result

implies that the strength and excellence that exist in

the brand (brand image) will lead consumers to a

sense of happiness (love) towards the brand so as to

generate brand loyalty. This is in accordance with

Ahuvia (2006) where brand love has been

conceptualized as a combination and a mixture of

emotion and passion (spirit) towards brands that can

shape loyalty over time. The statement was reinforced

by previous research that brand love is a highly

emotional, imaginative and irrational variable

(Sarkar, 2014). Using the power of love for a brand

can create happiness and passion for its engagement

with the brand, especially in hedonic products

(Sarkar, 2014). Thus, there is a suitability and

relationship between brand image and brand love.

This is consistent with the skoog (2015) which states

that passion will primarily depend on the image that

is reflected in the mind of the consumer as the brand's

power arises when recalling the brand. According to

Skoog (2015), the relationship to a brand will be

stronger if based on product superiority, where the

product is superior in competition because of the

advantages possessed and the characteristic that

causes a product has its own appeal for consumers.

7 CONCLUSIONS

Brand image built in this research model affects brand

loyalty. This condition implies that the better brand

image, will affect the increasing brand loyalty to car

customers in Aceh and brand love serves as a variable

mediation partially between the relationship of brand

image on brand loyalty.

8 LIMITATIONS

In general, certain theories do not apply universally in

any region (Sheth et al., 1991) and this also applies to

the brand love model. This model can only be applied

to the behavior of car buyers where customers really

need many factors in choosing the product. So this

model is somewhat less suitable for products that

have low emotional levels. Although this research has

confirmed that love can make a person loyal to a

particular brand, it can not be generalized to other

types and models of research.

9 FUTURE RESEARCH

The model built from this study has confirmed testing

of brand love and its impact on brand loyalty to car

customers. Therefore, in the future, researchers

interested in testing this model are advised to

investigate the influence of brand love on different

consumers or other product categories and in other

areas of research. Furthermore, this study also did not

identify whether respondents purchased the product

through direct or indirect purchases. Currently, many

customers in choosing a particular product also prefer

to buy products via the internet (e-marketing). In the

future, it also allows researchers to test this model

against customers who are interested in purchasing

brands/ products over the internet.

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