IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v58y2021ics0969698920313266.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do brands make consumers happy?- A masstige theory perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Kumar, Ajay
  • Paul, Justin
  • StarÄ ević, SlaÄ‘ana

Abstract

Happiness has been topic of research since ancient times. This study explores the theory of consumer happiness grounded in the tenets of mass prestige (Masstige), self-consciousness and social ideal self by linking it with brand-induced happiness (Brand Happiness). The relationship is explored in light of self-consciousness and social ideal self by taking them as moderators. Data was collected from a European country using a standard questionnaire measuring brand happiness, masstige, self-consciousness and social ideal self from 346 respondents for three mobile phone brands from America, South Korea and China – iPhone, Samsung and Huawei. Exploratory Factor Analysis, Structural Equation Modelling, and Moderation Analysis revealed that the consumption of masstige brands lead to brand happiness. This relationship is moderated by self-consciousness, whereas social ideal self is not moderating the relationship. The study also revealed that only iPhone is a masstige brand. Implications of the findings and managerial applications along with theoretical contributions are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Kumar, Ajay & Paul, Justin & StarÄ ević, SlaÄ‘ana, 2021. "Do brands make consumers happy?- A masstige theory perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:58:y:2021:i:c:s0969698920313266
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102318
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698920313266
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102318?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Warren Reich & Ellen Kessel & Frank Bernieri, 2013. "Life Satisfaction and the Self: Structure, Content, and Function," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 293-308, March.
    2. Fafchamps, Marcel & Shilpi, Forhad, 2008. "Subjective welfare, isolation, and relative consumption," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(1), pages 43-60, April.
    3. Hwang, Jinsoo & Han, Heesup, 2014. "Examining strategies for maximizing and utilizing brand prestige in the luxury cruise industry," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 244-259.
    4. Cheng, Zhiming & King, Stephen P. & Smyth, Russell & Wang, Haining, 2016. "Housing property rights and subjective wellbeing in urban China," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(S), pages 160-174.
    5. Nicole Fuentes & Mariano Rojas, 2001. "Economic Theory and Subjective Well-being: Mexico," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 289-314, March.
    6. Bruno S. Frey & Alois Stutzer, 2002. "What Can Economists Learn from Happiness Research?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 402-435, June.
    7. Noël Albert & Dwight Merunka & Pierre Valette-Florence, 2008. "When consumers love their brands: Exploring the concept and its dimensions," Post-Print hal-01822299, HAL.
    8. O'Cass, Aron & Siahtiri, Vida, 2013. "In search of status through brands from Western and Asian origins: Examining the changing face of fashion clothing consumption in Chinese young adults," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 505-515.
    9. Junyi Zhang & Yubing Xiong, 2015. "Effects of multifaceted consumption on happiness in life: a case study in Japan based on an integrated approach," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 62(2), pages 143-162, June.
    10. Wilson Bastos & Merrie Brucks, 2017. "How and Why Conversational Value Leads to Happiness for Experiential and Material Purchases," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(3), pages 598-612.
    11. William Swinyard & Ah-Keng Kau & Hui-Yin Phua, 2001. "Happiness, Materialism, and Religious Experience in the US AND SINGAPORE," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 13-32, March.
    12. Rebecca Pera & Giampaolo Viglia, 2015. "Turning ideas into products: subjective well-being in co-creation," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(7-8), pages 388-402, May.
    13. Andreas Munzel & Jean-Philippe Galan & Lars Meyer-Waarden, 2018. "Getting By or Getting Ahead on Social Networking Sites? The Role of Social Capital in Happiness and Well-Being," Post-Print hal-02423576, HAL.
    14. Belk, Russell W & Pollay, Richard W, 1985. "Images of Ourselves: The Good Life in Twentieth Century Advertising," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 11(4), pages 887-897, March.
    15. Albert, Noël & Merunka, Dwight & Valette-Florence, Pierre, 2008. "When consumers love their brands: Exploring the concept and its dimensions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(10), pages 1062-1075, October.
    16. Luca Stanca & Ruut Veenhoven, 2015. "Consumption and happiness: an introduction," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 62(2), pages 91-99, June.
    17. Burroughs, James E & Rindfleisch, Aric, 2002. "Materialism and Well-Being: A Conflicting Values Perspective," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 29(3), pages 348-370, December.
    18. Lan Chaplin, 2009. "Please May I Have a Bike? Better Yet, May I Have a Hug? An Examination of Children’s and Adolescents’ Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 541-562, October.
    19. Perez-Truglia, Ricardo, 2013. "A test of the conspicuous–consumption model using subjective well-being data," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 146-154.
    20. Jack Bauer & Dan McAdams & Jennifer Pals, 2008. "Narrative identity and eudaimonic well-being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 81-104, January.
    21. Amit Bhattacharjee & Cassie Mogilner, 2014. "Happiness from Ordinary and Extraordinary Experiences," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 41(1), pages 1-17.
    22. Goldsmith, Ronald, 2016. "The Big Five, happiness, and shopping," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 52-61.
    23. Miha Dominko & Miroslav Verbič, 2019. "The Economics of Subjective Well-Being: A Bibliometric Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1973-1994, August.
    24. Westbrook, Robert A & Oliver, Richard L, 1991. "The Dimensionality of Consumption Emotion Patterns and Consumer Satisfaction," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 18(1), pages 84-91, June.
    25. Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly, 2000. "The Costs and Benefits of Consuming," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 27(2), pages 267-272, September.
    26. Aaron Ahuvia, 2002. "Individualism/Collectivism and Cultures of Happiness: A Theoretical Conjecture on the Relationship between Consumption, Culture and Subjective Well-Being at the National Level," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 23-36, March.
    27. Jordan Etkin & Cassie Mogilner, 2016. "Does Variety Among Activities Increase Happiness?," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 43(2), pages 210-229.
    28. Septianto, Felix & An, Jake & Chiew, Tung Moi & Paramita, Widya & Tanudharma, Istiharini, 2019. "The similar versus divergent effects of pride and happiness on the effectiveness of loyalty programs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 12-22.
    29. Kumar, Ajay & Paul, Justin, 2018. "Mass prestige value and competition between American versus Asian laptop brands in an emerging market—Theory and evidence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 969-981.
    30. Aksoy, Lerzan & Keiningham, Timothy L. & Buoye, Alexander & Larivière, Bart & Williams, Luke & Wilson, Ian, 2015. "Does loyalty span domains? Examining the relationship between consumer loyalty, other loyalties and happiness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2464-2476.
    31. Richard G Netemeyer & Dee Warmath & Daniel Fernandes & John G LynchJr. & Eileen FischerEditor & Olivier ToubiaAssociate Editor, 2018. "How Am I Doing? Perceived Financial Well-Being, Its Potential Antecedents, and Its Relation to Overall Well-Being," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 45(1), pages 68-89.
    32. Fournier, Susan, 1998. "Consumers and Their Brands: Developing Relationship Theory in Consumer Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 24(4), pages 343-373, March.
    33. Brown, Stephen, 2006. "Fail better! Samuel Beckett's secrets of business and branding success," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 161-169.
    34. Aparna A. Labroo & Vanessa M. Patrick, 2009. "Psychological Distancing: Why Happiness Helps You See the Big Picture," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 35(5), pages 800-809, October.
    35. Richard Ball & Kateryna Chernova, 2008. "Absolute Income, Relative Income, and Happiness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 497-529, September.
    36. Andreas Munzel & Jean-Philippe Galan & Lars Meyer-Waarden, 2018. "Getting By or Getting Ahead on Social Networking Sites? The Role of Social Capital in Happiness and Well-Being," Post-Print hal-01898938, HAL.
    37. Committee, Nobel Prize, 2017. "Richard H. Thaler: Integrating Economics with Psychology," Nobel Prize in Economics documents 2017-1, Nobel Prize Committee.
    38. Leonardo Nicolao & Julie R. Irwin & Joseph K. Goodman, 2009. "Happiness for Sale: Do Experiential Purchases Make Consumers Happier than Material Purchases?," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 36(2), pages 188-198.
    39. Jingyi Duan, 2020. "Materialism and purchase-evoked happiness: A moderated mediation model of purchase type and purchase’s impact on self," Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 170-187, April.
    40. El Hedhli, Kamel & Chebat, Jean-Charles & Sirgy, M. Joseph, 2013. "Shopping well-being at the mall: Construct, antecedents, and consequences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 856-863.
    41. Bruce Headey & Ruud Muffels & Mark Wooden, 2008. "Money Does not Buy Happiness: Or Does It? A Reassessment Based on the Combined Effects of Wealth, Income and Consumption," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 87(1), pages 65-82, May.
    42. Heinz-Herbert Noll & Stefan Weick, 2015. "Consumption expenditures and subjective well-being: empirical evidence from Germany," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 62(2), pages 101-119, June.
    43. Committee, Nobel Prize, 2017. "Richard H. Thaler: Easy money or a golden pension? Integrating economics and psychology," Nobel Prize in Economics documents 2017-2, Nobel Prize Committee.
    44. Coelho, Pedro Simões & Rita, Paulo & Santos, Zélia Raposo, 2018. "On the relationship between consumer-brand identification, brand community, and brand loyalty," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 101-110.
    45. Dolan, Paul & Peasgood, Tessa & White, Mathew, 2008. "Do we really know what makes us happy A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 94-122, February.
    46. Verônica Feder Mayer & Juliane dos Santos Machado & Osiris Marques & José Mauro Gonçalves Nunes, 2020. "Mixed feelings?: fluctuations in well-being during tourist travels," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(1-2), pages 158-180, January.
    47. Holbrook, Morris B & Hirschman, Elizabeth C, 1982. "The Experiential Aspects of Consumption: Consumer Fantasies, Feelings, and Fun," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 9(2), pages 132-140, September.
    48. Alexandra Ganglmair-Wooliscroft & Rob Lawson, 2012. "Subjective Wellbeing and its Influence on Consumer Sentiment Towards Marketing: A New Zealand Example," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 149-166, March.
    49. Haining Wang & Zhiming Cheng & Russell Smyth, 2019. "Consumption and Happiness," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(1), pages 120-136, January.
    50. Eric J. Arnould & Craig J. Thompson, 2005. "Consumer Culture Theory (CCT): Twenty Years of Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 31(4), pages 868-882, March.
    51. Bruhn, Manfred & Schnebelen, Stefanie, 2017. "Brand Happiness: The Searching and Finding of the “Holy Grail” of Marketing," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 71(4), pages 464-490.
    52. Lee, Jaeha & Nguyen, Minhthu Jill, 2017. "Product attributes and preference for foreign brands among Vietnamese consumers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 76-83.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tetsuya Tsurumi & Rintaro Yamaguchi & Kazuki Kagohashi & Shunsuke Managi, 2021. "Are Cognitive, Affective, and Eudaimonic Dimensions of Subjective Well-Being Differently Related to Consumption? Evidence from Japan," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 2499-2522, August.
    2. Lenka Mynaříková & Vít Pošta, 2023. "The Effect of Consumer Confidence and Subjective Well-being on Consumers’ Spending Behavior," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 429-453, February.
    3. Qian Li & Xiaoguang Huang & Hanwen Zhang, 2023. "Exploring the Effects of Consumption Expenditures on Life Satisfaction in China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 1963-1990, August.
    4. Andreini, Daniela & Pedeliento, Giuseppe & Zarantonello, Lia & Solerio, Chiara, 2019. "Reprint of "A renaissance of brand experience: Advancing the concept through a multi-perspective analysis"," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 355-365.
    5. Choung, Youngjoo & Pak, Tae-Young & Chatterjee, Swarn, 2021. "Consumption and Life Satisfaction: The Korean Evidence," MPRA Paper 115765, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Fengyu Wu, 2020. "An Examination of the Effects of Consumption Expenditures on Life Satisfaction in Australia," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 2735-2771, December.
    7. Andreini, Daniela & Pedeliento, Giuseppe & Zarantonello, Lia & Solerio, Chiara, 2018. "A renaissance of brand experience: Advancing the concept through a multi-perspective analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 123-133.
    8. Vishal Chandr Jaunky & Jamiil Jeetoo & Shreya Rampersad, 2020. "Happiness and Consumption in Mauritius: An Exploratory Study of Socio-Economic Dimensions, Basic Needs, Luxuries and Personality Traits," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(7), pages 2377-2403, October.
    9. Petersen, Francine Espinoza & Dretsch, Heather Johnson & Komarova Loureiro, Yuliya, 2018. "Who needs a reason to indulge? Happiness following reason-based indulgent consumption," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 170-184.
    10. Liselot Hudders & Mario Pandelaere, 2012. "The Silver Lining of Materialism: The Impact of Luxury Consumption on Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 411-437, June.
    11. Miha Dominko & Miroslav Verbič, 2022. "The effect of subjective well‐being on consumption behavior," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 876-898, June.
    12. Ruut Veenhoven & Felicia Chiperi & Xin Kang & Martijn Burger, 2021. "Happiness and Consumption: A Research Synthesis Using an Online Finding Archive* â€," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440209, March.
    13. repec:bof:bofitp:urn:nbn:fi:bof-201508181355 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Iivi Riivits-Arkonsuo & Anu Leppiman, 2015. "Young Consumers and their Brand Love," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 5(10), pages 33-44, Octomber.
    15. repec:zbw:bofitp:urn:nbn:fi:bof-201508181355 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Gregor Gonza & Anže Burger, 2017. "Subjective Well-Being During the 2008 Economic Crisis: Identification of Mediating and Moderating Factors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1763-1797, December.
    17. Saikat Banerjee & Bibek Ray Chaudhuri, 2022. "Brand love and party preference of young political consumers (voters)," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 19(3), pages 475-503, September.
    18. Robertson, Jeandri & Botha, Elsamari & Ferreira, Caitlin & Pitt, Leyland, 2022. "How deep is your love? The brand love-loyalty matrix in consumer-brand relationships," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 651-662.
    19. Garner, Benjamin & Thornton, Corliss & Luo Pawluk, Anita & Mora Cortez, Roberto & Johnston, Wesley & Ayala, Cesar, 2022. "Utilizing text-mining to explore consumer happiness within tourism destinations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1366-1377.
    20. Jaspers, Esther, 2018. "Opening up on consumer materialism," Other publications TiSEM a21cb1c8-5af1-46cc-9ea0-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    21. Bijay Prasad Kushwaha & Atul Shiva & Vikas Tyagi, 2023. "How Investors’ Financial Well-being Influences Enterprises and Individual’s Psychological Fitness? Moderating Role of Experience under Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    22. Iivi Riivits-Arkonsuo & Anu Leppiman, 2015. "Young Consumers and their Brand Love," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 5(10), pages 33-44, Octomber.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:58:y:2021:i:c:s0969698920313266. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.