Product Class Effects on Brand Commitment and Brand Outcomes: The Role of Brand Trust and Brand Affect

The authors extend the study of relational exchanges to consumer markets using brands as the units of analysis. They propose certain product-class determinants (perceived differences between brands, hedonic and utilitarian values, brand-choice risk) as determinants of brand commitment and brand outcomes (market share, advertising-to-sales ratio). With special relevance to the phenomenon of relational exchange, brand trust and brand affect are modelled as intervening variables in the process. Aggregate data based on 137 brands are compiled from four separate surveys of consumers and brand managers. Controls in the study include the brand's age, share of voice, level of differentiation and number of competitors. Hypotheses are tested and largely supported for the effects of interest, leading to implications for the formulation of marketing strategy.