Formation of customer-based brand equity via authenticity

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the extent to which customers’ perceptions of restaurant authenticity facilitate the establishment’s customer-based brand equity (CBBE) – both directly and indirectly – via customer satisfaction. The study also analyzes whether restaurant type moderates the antecedent relationships of CBBE formation. Design/methodology/approach Two restaurants of different types were selected for the study: a mid-scale and a moderate/casual restaurant. Based on a final total sample of 402 customers of both restaurant types, a moderated mediation regression model was used. Findings It was found that the level of authenticity perceived by the restaurant visitor during the gastronomic experience is an antecedent of restaurant brand equity formation, both directly and indirectly, via customer satisfaction. Furthermore, these antecedent relationships were found to be partially moderated by restaurant type. Research limitations/implications Only two restaurants were used for the study. This study could be replicated by comparing other types of restaurants with differentiated characteristics to test whether the results obtained for these two types can be extrapolated to the rest. Originality/value There is no empirical evidence in the literature regarding the possible moderating effect of restaurant type on brand equity formation, so the particular note is the simultaneous application of CBBE measurement to the analysis of two different types of restaurant and the differences in their brand equity formation. On the other hand, there are few studies that use moderated mediation regression analysis as a methodological technique in the field of restaurants, so this is an interesting methodological contribution.

Tourism destination brand equity, brand authenticity and revisit intention: the mediating role of tourist satisfaction and the moderating role of destination familiarity

“…The S-O-R theory can also interpret the impact mechanism of brand authenticity on brand equity (Lu et al , 2015; Rodríguez-López et al , 2020). According to this theory, external environmental stimuli elicit an individual’s internal emotional state (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974).…”

“…Therefore, an individual’s pleasant, favorable and positive emotions elicited from the authentic experience of a destination will contribute to the formation of brand equity (Lu et al , 2015). Hence, it is logical to think that brand authenticity has a positive effect on brand equity (Rodríguez-López et al , 2020; Lu et al , 2015). Some studies have confirmed the correlation between authenticity perception and brand equity elements.…”

A critical review and reconstruction of perceptual brand equity

“…For example, So and King (2010) measured customer-based hotel brand equity by using typical loyalty items: "makes sense to use this hotel instead of other," "prefer to use this hotel even have same features," "prefer to use this hotel if another is as good," "seems smarter to use this hotel if another is not different." Other researchers also measured brand equity with these items (Rodríguez-Molina et al, 2019;Rodríguez-L opez et al, 2020;Seric et al, 2016;Seric et al, 2017;Šerić and Gil-Saura, 2019). Sijoria et al (2019), on the other hand, measured brand equity with items that are usually used to measure loyalty and willingness to pay ("the price of hotel X would have to go up quite a bit before I would switch to another brand of the hotel; I am willing to pay a higher price for hotel X than for another hotel; I am willing to pay ___per cent more for hotel X over other hotels: 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% or more; Hotel Y would have to be ___per cent per cent less than Hotel X before I would switch brands: 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% or more.…”

“…The critical role of loyalty for the success of tourism and hospitality brands is evident in most studies that included loyalty in CBBE, even though a few researchers named it as brand equity in their studies (Rodríguez-L opez et al, 2020;Rodríguez-Molina et al, 2019;Seric et al, 2016;Seric et al, 2017;Šeri c and Gil-Saura, 2019;Sijoria et al, 2019;So and King, 2010). Another confusion comes from switching between Aaker's and Keller's conceptualizations of CBBE.…”

From brand identity to brand equity: a multilevel analysis of the organization–employee bidirectional effects in upscale hotels

“…Brands provide not only core products or services but also sensory, experiential, authentic, and aesthetical benefits (e.g., Rodríguez-López et al, 2020). Aesthetical experience can be used as a competitive advantage in highly fierce markets and brings high customer loyalty and satisfaction.…”