Issues With the Importance of Branding, Brand Personality and Symbolic Meaning of Brands in the Smartphone Industry

Abstract

The extent to which a brand expresses and enhances one's identity is determined by the level of brand identification and this has a positive effect on word-of-mouth reports. Identification is often linked to the causes and aims of the organization; in instances where the organization is known to stand for a particular cause, consumers are likely to identify with the mission of the company and furthermore to demonstrate loyalty to its products. Drawing on the identity theory perspective, this chapter aims to examine the resistance to brand switching in the smartphone industry. The findings suggest that brand identifiers sometimes proactively generate negative word-of-mouth about brands that they do not identify with, especially after they are exposed to comparative advertising. Several insights regarding the literature on resistance to brand switching in the smartphones industry were identified, including conceptualizing social creativity. Suggestions are offered for future researchers, and implications for managerial practices on the study findings are provided.