Antecedents and moderators of brand trust in the context of baby care toiletries

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to empirically examine the distinct antecedents of cognitive and affective brand trust in the context of baby care toiletry brands. Further, the moderating role of the mother’s personality traits on the relationship between brand trust and its antecedents is investigated. Design/methodology/approach – The study methodology involves two phases: exploratory and descriptive. The exploratory phase, with the support of a focused literature review, results in a theoretical framework that is later validated through the survey-based empirical phase. Findings – The study finds that brand predictability and brand innovativeness are antecedents of cognitive brand trust, whereas brand intimacy is a driver of affective brand trust. The study confirms that agreeableness positively moderates the relationship between brand intimacy and affective brand trust, whereas conscientiousness positively moderates the relationship between brand predictability and cognitive brand trust. Practical implications – The study recommends marketing strategy approaches for baby care product companies, including the essential factors they must keep in mind for promoting their brand and winning the trust of mothers. Originality/value – The study is among the few empirical investigations that examine the role of the moderating effect of personality traits on the relationship between brand trust and its antecedents, in the little-researched context of the high perceived risk category of baby care toiletry products in an emerging-market context.