Brand Attachment

Brand Attachment

Reviewed by Reja Batool

An emotional bond between a person and a brand, measurable and distinct from satisfaction, involvement and attitude strength.

What it is

Thomson, MacInnis and Park built a scale across five studies and found it was positively associated with brand commitment and investment. Park and colleagues define the concept, separate it from attitude strength, and argue it predicts difficult behaviours, actual purchases, share of category requirements and reliance on the brand.

In effect

The article on emotional marketing uses it as the measurable target of communication aimed at feeling.

What it does not say

The scales measure the strength of a bond and its link to commitment and purchase. They do not show that any campaign can create attachment, or that attachment protects a brand in every situation.

Sources

  1. Thomson, M., MacInnis, D. J., & Park, C. W. (2005). The ties that bind: Measuring the strength of consumers' emotional attachments to brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(1), 77-91.
  2. Park, C. W., MacInnis, D. J., Priester, J., Eisingerich, A. B., & Iacobucci, D. (2010). Brand attachment and brand attitude strength: Conceptual and empirical differentiation of two critical brand equity drivers. Journal of Marketing, 74(6), 1-17.