We share; we connect: how shared brand consumption influences relational brand connections
Selcan Kara, Anna J. Vredeveld, William T. Ross Jr.
This research examines how married consumers form relational brand connections.
Findings from two studies contribute to research on identity-related brand consumption by
showcasing how shared brand consumption and marital satisfaction influence relational brand
connections and the perceived importance of the brand to the marital relationship.
Theoretical perspective: the authors show how consumers incorporate brands into their
interpersonal relationships through shared brand consumption and that relational brand connections
influence brand-related outcomes, such as brand attitudes, purchase intentions, brand affect, and
brand separation distress.
Managerial perspective: the findings highlight the importance of considering relational aspects of
brand consumption when designing branding strategy and advertising appeals.
Marketing campaigns often encourage consumers to share their consumption with close others. For
example, Coca-Cola recently promoted their “share a Coke” campaign where consumers were
encouraged to share their Coca-Cola consumption experience with their friends. Another example is
Nutella's “rise and shine” campaign that encourages families to have breakfast together, and to
consume Nutella as part of that familial breakfast routine. The idea that brands may benefit from
shared consumption is intuitively appealing. After all, brands are part of our identity narrative.
Thus, it seems likely that consumers may form particularly strong relationships with brands that they
consume together with people they love and care for. In this research, we explore this proposition by
examining how married individuals form connections with brands that they consume or use together
with their spouses.
Marriage is a particularly interesting context for exploring the impact of shared brand consumption.
Extant work in social psychology, sociology, and marriage and family studies documents that
marriage is regulated by a unique set of laws, norms, and expectations (Yodanis & Lauer, 2014) that
influences behavior, self-construction, and self-actualization. When an individual establishes a
romantic relationship, he or she expands his or her self-concept to include the relationship partner .
In particular, marriage, as an interpersonal relationship type, involves the construction of a relational
“us” identity.
lmportant contributions to the literature on brand relationships and interpersonal consumption:
We expand on this premise by exploring how shared brand consumption influences brand
connections. Specifically, in line with extant research on marriage and self-expansion, we propose
that a married individual who consumes a brand with his or her spouse (i.e., engages in shared brand
consumption) forms a brand connection that is anchored in the relational (marriage) identity, rather
than the self-identity (i.e., “this brand is part of who we are” rather than “this brand is part of who I
am”). Thus, shared brand consumption may facilitate a sense of consumption interdependence
that is reflected as a relational connection to the brand, which reflects a consumer's perceived
couple level connection with the brand (i.e., this brand reflects who “we are”)
Second, in contrast to previous research, we move beyond identity signaling motives to shed light on
how experiential aspects of brand consumption influence brand connections. The research considers
the different ways in which consumers experience brands as a part of their interpersonal
, relationships, and, in particular, how the nature of the shared consumption context (i.e., special vs.
mundane shared brand consumption) influences how connected the consumer feels to the brand.
Finally, our research makes important contributions to previous work on interpersonal consumption.
Specifically, we examine the role of interpersonal relationship satisfaction (i.e., marriage satisfaction)
for the strength of brand connections, thus showcase how and when interpersonal relationships
influence brand relationships.
Hypotheses:
H1: Shared brand consumption has a direct, positive effect on the strength of the relational brand
connection.
H2: Marital satisfaction moderates the effect of shared brand consumption on relational brand
connection, such that higher levels of marital satisfaction increase the effect of shared brand
consumption on relational brand connection
H3: Relational brand connection has a direct, positive effect on the perceived importance of the
brand to the marital relationship
H4: Perceived importance of the brand to the marital relationship has a direct, positive effect on (a)
attitudes towards the brand; (b) purchase intentions for the brand; (c) affection for the brand; (d)
anticipated separation distress experienced if the brand is discontinued.
H5: Shared special, compared to shared mundane (alledaags), brand consumption leads to an
increase in relational brand connection.
H6: Marital satisfaction increases the relational connection to the brand, after controlling for the
nature of the shared brand consumption (i.e., special vs. mundane).
Study 1:
Selcan Kara, Anna J. Vredeveld, William T. Ross Jr.
This research examines how married consumers form relational brand connections.
Findings from two studies contribute to research on identity-related brand consumption by
showcasing how shared brand consumption and marital satisfaction influence relational brand
connections and the perceived importance of the brand to the marital relationship.
Theoretical perspective: the authors show how consumers incorporate brands into their
interpersonal relationships through shared brand consumption and that relational brand connections
influence brand-related outcomes, such as brand attitudes, purchase intentions, brand affect, and
brand separation distress.
Managerial perspective: the findings highlight the importance of considering relational aspects of
brand consumption when designing branding strategy and advertising appeals.
Marketing campaigns often encourage consumers to share their consumption with close others. For
example, Coca-Cola recently promoted their “share a Coke” campaign where consumers were
encouraged to share their Coca-Cola consumption experience with their friends. Another example is
Nutella's “rise and shine” campaign that encourages families to have breakfast together, and to
consume Nutella as part of that familial breakfast routine. The idea that brands may benefit from
shared consumption is intuitively appealing. After all, brands are part of our identity narrative.
Thus, it seems likely that consumers may form particularly strong relationships with brands that they
consume together with people they love and care for. In this research, we explore this proposition by
examining how married individuals form connections with brands that they consume or use together
with their spouses.
Marriage is a particularly interesting context for exploring the impact of shared brand consumption.
Extant work in social psychology, sociology, and marriage and family studies documents that
marriage is regulated by a unique set of laws, norms, and expectations (Yodanis & Lauer, 2014) that
influences behavior, self-construction, and self-actualization. When an individual establishes a
romantic relationship, he or she expands his or her self-concept to include the relationship partner .
In particular, marriage, as an interpersonal relationship type, involves the construction of a relational
“us” identity.
lmportant contributions to the literature on brand relationships and interpersonal consumption:
We expand on this premise by exploring how shared brand consumption influences brand
connections. Specifically, in line with extant research on marriage and self-expansion, we propose
that a married individual who consumes a brand with his or her spouse (i.e., engages in shared brand
consumption) forms a brand connection that is anchored in the relational (marriage) identity, rather
than the self-identity (i.e., “this brand is part of who we are” rather than “this brand is part of who I
am”). Thus, shared brand consumption may facilitate a sense of consumption interdependence
that is reflected as a relational connection to the brand, which reflects a consumer's perceived
couple level connection with the brand (i.e., this brand reflects who “we are”)
Second, in contrast to previous research, we move beyond identity signaling motives to shed light on
how experiential aspects of brand consumption influence brand connections. The research considers
the different ways in which consumers experience brands as a part of their interpersonal
, relationships, and, in particular, how the nature of the shared consumption context (i.e., special vs.
mundane shared brand consumption) influences how connected the consumer feels to the brand.
Finally, our research makes important contributions to previous work on interpersonal consumption.
Specifically, we examine the role of interpersonal relationship satisfaction (i.e., marriage satisfaction)
for the strength of brand connections, thus showcase how and when interpersonal relationships
influence brand relationships.
Hypotheses:
H1: Shared brand consumption has a direct, positive effect on the strength of the relational brand
connection.
H2: Marital satisfaction moderates the effect of shared brand consumption on relational brand
connection, such that higher levels of marital satisfaction increase the effect of shared brand
consumption on relational brand connection
H3: Relational brand connection has a direct, positive effect on the perceived importance of the
brand to the marital relationship
H4: Perceived importance of the brand to the marital relationship has a direct, positive effect on (a)
attitudes towards the brand; (b) purchase intentions for the brand; (c) affection for the brand; (d)
anticipated separation distress experienced if the brand is discontinued.
H5: Shared special, compared to shared mundane (alledaags), brand consumption leads to an
increase in relational brand connection.
H6: Marital satisfaction increases the relational connection to the brand, after controlling for the
nature of the shared brand consumption (i.e., special vs. mundane).
Study 1:
