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The differential impact of brand loyalty on traditional and online word of mouth: The moderating roles of self-brand connection and the desire to help the brand

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  • Eelen, Jiska
  • Özturan, Peren
  • Verlegh, Peeter W.J.

Abstract

Marketers increasingly seek to build brand advocacy not only via traditional word of mouth (in-person WOM) but also by engaging their (loyal) customers via online media (eWOM). In a survey and three follow-up experiments, however, we show that brand loyalty is less positively related to spreading eWOM than in-person WOM (Studies 1–3). We find that loyal consumers' willingness to engage in eWOM increases when they are motivated to signal their identity through a brand (i.e., high self-brand connection in Studies 1–3) or to help a brand (Study 4). Our findings support the notion that online communication spreads faster and is less spontaneous and more deliberate than face-to-face communication. In turn, loyal consumers need strong motivation tied to the brand to engage in eWOM.

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  • Eelen, Jiska & Özturan, Peren & Verlegh, Peeter W.J., 2017. "The differential impact of brand loyalty on traditional and online word of mouth: The moderating roles of self-brand connection and the desire to help the brand," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 872-891.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijrema:v:34:y:2017:i:4:p:872-891
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijresmar.2017.08.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Bartschat, Maria & Cziehso, Gerrit & Hennig-Thurau, Thorsten, 2022. "Searching for word of mouth in the digital age: Determinants of consumers’ uses of face-to-face information, internet opinion sites, and social media," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 393-409.
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    6. Tan, Teck Ming & Salo, Jari & Juntunen, Jouni & Kumar, Ashish, 2018. "A comparative study of creation of self-brand connection amongst well-liked, new, and unfavorable brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 71-80.
    7. Jesús J. Cambra‐Fierro & J. Alfredo Flores‐Hernández & Lourdes Pérez & Guadalupe Valera‐Blanes, 2020. "CSR and branding in emerging economies: The effect of incomes and education," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(6), pages 2765-2776, November.
    8. Duc Hoang & Sofia Kousi & Luis F. Martinez, 2023. "Online customer engagement in the post-pandemic scenario: a hybrid thematic analysis of the luxury fashion industry," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1401-1428, September.
    9. AlRabiah, Sara & Marder, Ben & Marshall, David & Angell, Rob, 2022. "Too much information: An examination of the effects of social self-disclosure embedded within influencer eWOM campaigns," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 93-105.
    10. Mohamed Ismail Mujahid Hilal, 2019. "A nexus between the elements of brand equity and its creation: evidence from the telecommunication industry of Sri Lanka," Asian Journal of Empirical Research, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(10), pages 254-264, October.
    11. Ana Babić Rosario & Kristine Valck & Francesca Sotgiu, 2020. "Conceptualizing the electronic word-of-mouth process: What we know and need to know about eWOM creation, exposure, and evaluation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 422-448, May.
    12. He, Yi & You, Ya & Chen, Qimei, 2020. "Our conditional love for the underdog: The effect of brand positioning and the lay theory of achievement on WOM," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 210-222.
    13. Donthu, Naveen & Kumar, Satish & Pandey, Neeraj & Pandey, Nitesh & Mishra, Akanksha, 2021. "Mapping the electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) research: A systematic review and bibliometric analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 758-773.
    14. Mohd Azhar & Rehan Husain & Sheeba Hamid & Mohd Nayyer Rahman, 2023. "Effect of social media marketing on online travel purchase behavior post-COVID-19: mediating role of brand trust and brand loyalty," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
    15. Taesoo Cho & Taeyoung Cho & Guosong Zhao & Hao Zhang, 2020. "The Impact of South Korea Golf Resort Social Network Services Advertising and Online Word of Mouth on Consumer Brand Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-13, May.
    16. Takumi Kato & Nobu Takenaka & Rie Ito & Kazuki Nishiguchi, 2023. "Selection versus scale: Loyalty indices for brand management," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(4), pages 836-853, December.
    17. Curina, Ilaria & Francioni, Barbara & Hegner, Sabrina M. & Cioppi, Marco, 2020. "Brand hate and non-repurchase intention: A service context perspective in a cross-channel setting," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    18. Pankaj Tiwari, 2023. "Influence of the Green Brand Image on the Green Word of Mouth of Millennials: a Mediation Study on Banks," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 59-78, March.
    19. Ina Garnefeld & Sabrina Helm & Ann-Kathrin Grötschel, 2020. "May we buy your love? psychological effects of incentives on writing likelihood and valence of online product reviews," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(4), pages 805-820, December.
    20. Sun, Chunhua & Fang, Yuan & Kong, Meng & Chen, Xiayu & Liu, Yezheng, 2022. "Influence of augmented reality product display on consumers’ product attitudes: A product uncertainty reduction perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    21. Wen-Qi Ruan & Shu-Ning Zhang, 2022. "Understand the differences in the brand equity construction process between local and foreign restaurants," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(3), pages 681-719, September.
    22. Lee, Wei-Long & Liu, Chih-Hsing & Tseng, Tzu-Wen, 2022. "The multiple effects of service innovation and quality on transitional and electronic word-of-mouth in predicting customer behaviour," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    23. Takumi Kato, 2021. "Brand loyalty explained by concept recall: recognizing the significance of the brand concept compared to features," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(3), pages 185-198, September.

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