Consumer-brand relationships and marketing influences on customer perceptions

Brand Relationships

"Having a Relationship" with a Brand

Establishing and maintaining a "relationship" with a brand is a complex concept that often is taken for granted. Much of the complexity arises out of the fact that goods are inanimate objects and do not fall under the traditional notion of a subject of a relationship since the good or product can interact with an individual with human-like qualities. However, at the same time, people attribute human characteristics to products and brands. The human activity of anthropomorphizing inanimate objects has been identified as a universal activity in virtually all societies (Fournier, 1998). Therefore, in this way the brand can interact with the individual given the attributed human qualities. It is generally thought that people have relationships with brands instead of products because products typically have a lifecycle that eventually ends while brands are more enduring and can introduce new products (Rasmussen, N.d.)

Furthermore, the relationship between a brand or product and an individual can mirror interpersonal relationships in many ways and share many of the same dynamics. Feelings of trust, reliability, and even love can be thought of in regard to various brands as well as negative emotions such as disgust and disappointment. Furthermore, the relationships with brands can also develop and strengthen or diminish similarly to an actual relationship as well. The following illustration shows some of the different patterns that consumers have displayed in their relationships with a brand.

Figure 1 - Brand Relationship Progression (Fournier, 1998)

Customers Relationships with Specific Brands

One brand in the automotive industry that provides a good example of consumers forming a relationship with the brand can be illustrated by the brand Jeep. The Jeep brand stands at the center of a community that attracts consumers that become extremely loyal to this brand. Many of the Jeep consumers actually use the product as part of their own self-identification. For example, a Jeep owner may describe themselves to someone else as a "Jeep owner." In this case the product actually becomes part of someone's self-identity and thus this is a clear example of a strong relationship between the individual and the brand name (O'Donnell & Brown, 2012). It would be somewhat comparable to a wife describing herself as "the wife of Bob" or something along those lines.

The fast-food franchise SubWay can also be a good example of a brand that many consumers have formed relationships with. SubWay represents a healthier alternative to many of the more traditional fast food chains. Therefore, many people associate this brand with active or healthy lifestyle and this can also serve as a source of self-identification as well. However, compared to Jeep, this brand relationship is most likely not as strong amongst most consumers. Yet, it reasonable to suspect that for many consumers that SubWay brand is perceived strongly as a healthier alternative to other brands in the same industry such as McDonalds, Burger King, or other competing brands.

Discussion on Fournier and Brand Relationships

I think it is entirely reasonable to perceive consumers as having relationship with brands. I have noticed myself anthropomorphizing many of the objects I work with on a daily basis; especially complicated items such as a car or a computer. Such items can definitely to appear to have something of a personality. For example, when my computer is seemingly working slower than normal then I might perceive this as the computer being angry or moody. The same kind of perceptions can be made with a vehicle. If the car is not operating as well as it normally does for any reason, then it is common that people will attribute this to a personality.