Building brand authenticity in fast-moving consumer goods via consumer perceptions of brand marketing communications

Abstract

Purpose Brand authenticity has emerged as a strategic imperative for many firms. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the effect of consumer perceptions of brand marketing communications on brand authenticity of fast-moving consumer goods. Design/methodology/approach Direct and indirect pathways from brand marketing communications to brand authenticity were conceptualized. Data were collected from US energy drink consumers and analysed using structural equation modelling. Multiple marketing mix variables and context-relevant covariates have been controlled for. Findings Direct and indirect pathways to building brand authenticity have been observed. The total effect of brand marketing communications on brand authenticity is strong, thereby highlighting the predictor’s overall effectiveness in shaping the ultimate outcome. Research limitations/implications The focus on consumer-perceived authenticity as opposed to objective authenticity complements the prior literature. An integrative perspective on brand marketing communications is offered, specifying it as an antecedent of perceived brand authenticity. Practical implications An important implication is that investments into brand marketing communications will likely influence perceived brand authenticity. Such investments may also have favourable implications for the clarity of brand positioning. Overall, brand marketing communications are effective tools for building consumer-perceived brand authenticity. Originality/value A need to outline managerially controllable drivers of authenticity was addressed. How consumer perceptions of brand marketing communications influence brand authenticity via direct and indirect mechanisms was demonstrated. The existence of authenticity in fast-moving consumer goods was also demonstrated.

Retracted: Consumer Marketing Brand Cultivation Path Based on Image Recognition Technology

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The Concept of Authenticity: What It Means to Consumers

“…In addition, most marketing scholars who define what they mean by "authenticity" have ended up introducing a specific subtype of authenticity to the literature (see Tables A and B in the Web Appendix). This includes, but is not limited to, indexical authenticity (Grayson and Martinec 2004), hyperauthenticity (Rose and Wood 2005), constructed authenticity (Leigh, Peters, and Shelton 2006), brand extension authenticity (Spiggle, Nguyen, and Caravella 2012), employee authenticity (Sirianni et al 2013), brand authenticity (Schallehn, Burmann, and Riley 2014;Morhart et al 2015;Dwivedi and McDonald 2018;Cinelli and LeBoeuf 2019), creative authenticity (Valsesia, Nunes, and Ordanini 2016), cultural authenticity (Vredeveld and Coulter 2018), and passionate authenticity (Audrezeta, De Kervilerb, and Moulard 2020). In general, the literature provides an insightful yet fragmented picture of what it means for consumption to be authentic.…”

The role of brand in overcoming consumer resistance to autonomous vehicles

“…A plethora of research shows that marketing communications influence brand perceptions as well as product evaluations (Buil et al, 2013; Dwivedi & McDonald, 2018). Furthermore, effective marketing communications create halo effects that extend from brands to specific product attributes (Beckwith & Lehmann, 1975; Boatwright et al, 2008; Klein & Dawar, 2004).…”