Article Title: Consumer brand engagement, satisfaction and brand loyalty: A
comparative study between functional and emotional brand relationships.
The purpose of this study is to understand differences in consumer brand engagement (CBE)
according to the functional or emotional nature of consumer brand relationships and its direct
and/or indirect impact on brand loyalty (BL). Consumer brand engagement (CBE) has been
defined as a consumers cognitive, emotional, behavioral, co-creative brand-related activities
related to specific interactions and is expected to have a significant role in building increasingly
experiential relationships with consumers, namely brand relationships Additionally, the study
aims to compare CBE and Satisfaction as predictors of BL, considering the two types of
consumer brand relationships. A cross-sectional survey was applied to two independent samples.
Respondents of one of the samples were asked to recall a brand with which they had a functional
relationship, while the other respondents were asked to consider a brand with which they had an
emotional relationship. To test research hypotheses, a causal model using SEM was developed.
Results validate CBE as a three-dimensional construct, stronger for emotional than functional
brand relationships and show its significant direct and indirect impact on BL. Through a
comparative analysis, findings also prove that the effects of CBE on BL, directly or indirectly
through Satisfaction, are stronger for emotional relationships, while Satisfaction is a stronger
direct predictor of BL for functional brand relationships. Addressing calls to focus on the impact
of specific brand types on engagement, this study allows a better understanding of the
moderating role of functional and emotional relationships on CBE. This study further adds to the
existing body of knowledge by establishing the mediating role of Satisfaction and comparing the
contribution of CBE and Satisfaction to BL according to the nature of consumer brand
relationships. Overall, our findings enhance knowledge on how consumers engage with and
become loyal to brands, offering important implications for brand managers. The growing
importance of the socially responsible behavior has led brands to integrate socially responsible
activities into the brand score value propositions to build strong brand equity in the minds of the
customers. Study discuss the immediate effect of CSR communications on the dimensions of
brand equity i.e. brand awareness and loyalty to understand what drives the overall brand equity.
Brand equity is a set of brand assets and liabilities associated to a brand its name and a symbol
that adds or subtract from the value provided by a product. Brand equity creates value for both
customers and the firm. The studies main focus is on customer-based brand equity between the
immediate change in awareness, quality and loyalty, and the immediate change in overall brand
equity. This survey included a definition of both types of consumer brand relationships according
to the literature. Quantitative research was carried out in USA, Australia and Spain with more
than 400 university students. This study suggests that, beyond the dominant role of Satisfaction,
CEB can also contribute to enhance BL, thus establishing its managerial value to brands. When
Satisfaction is increasingly becoming a basic, minimum requirement of being in the game rather
than a driving factor, this study shows that not only CBE incrementally explains BL together
with Satisfaction, but also impacts Satisfaction as a significant predictor of BL, particularly when
brands are able to evoke an affective relationship with consumers. Yet, though to a lesser extent,
also functional brands can benefit from engaging their customers, as loyalty to these brands is
strengthened not only directly (and strongly) through Satisfaction, but also indirectly through
CBE. Hence, for brand managers, CBE may represent a competitive advantage, particularly if
focus is given to the symbolic benefits of the brand and to brand meaningfulness, instead of
merely focusing on price or quality.
