Responsible Brands vs Active Brands? An Examination Of Brand PersonalityOn Brand Awareness, Brand Trust & Brand Loyalty

Abstract

This research explores the role of brand personality traits, namely responsible and active personalities, in consumer-brand relationships with a focus on brand awareness, brand trust, and brand loyalty.  This research uses Aaker's (1997) Brand Personality Scale and tests the effects of responsible brands (as stable, down-to-earth, and reliable) and active brands (as dynamic, innovative, and energetic) on consumer attitudes and behaviors. A quantitative research approach was used, involving a seven-point Likert scale survey among 200 respondents from Pakistan's retail sector. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze data in order to test convergent validity, discriminant validity, and path coefficients. The findings show that active brands significantly enhance brand awareness and trust, while responsible brands build greater levels of brand trust and loyalty, albeit with varying levels of significance.  The research increases understanding of brand personality's role in shaping consumer connections and offers practical insights for marketers looking to employ these traits for competitive advantage. Limitations include the focus on a single geographic setting, suggesting the need for cross-cultural verification in future work.

Keywords: Brand personality, Responsible brands, Active brands, Brand awareness, Brand trust, Brand loyalty, Consumer-brand relationships