Short answer

Focus on designing holistic brand experiences that appeal to the senses and emotions to cultivate deep customer affection and loyalty.

Field
Innovation & Markets
Source
Management & Marketing (2019)
Method
Quantitative research using a structural equation model.
Sample
560 participants
Evidence
Strong effect

Positive brand experiences, particularly those engaging senses and emotions, foster a strong emotional connection (brand love) which directly and indirectly enhances customer loyalty. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Management & Marketing. Using Quantitative research using a structural equation model. with 560 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus on designing holistic brand experiences that appeal to the senses and emotions to cultivate deep customer affection and loyalty.

Study
Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactStrong effect

Sensory and affective brand experiences drive brand love, leading to increased customer loyalty in fashion retail.

Positive brand experiences, particularly those engaging senses and emotions, foster a strong emotional connection (brand love) which directly and indirectly enhances customer loyalty.

Management & Marketing · 2019

01

Key Findings

  • 01Brand experience, especially its sensory and affective dimensions, positively influences brand love.
  • 02Brand love has a direct positive effect on customer loyalty.
  • 03Brand love also indirectly influences customer loyalty through customer satisfaction.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Focus on designing holistic brand experiences that appeal to the senses and emotions to cultivate deep customer affection and loyalty.

How to apply

When designing a new product line or retail space, map out the sensory and emotional journey for the customer and identify opportunities to enhance these aspects.

Project actions

  • 01Consider how your design project can evoke specific emotions or sensory responses from users.
  • 02Think about the 'experience' of using or interacting with your design, not just its function.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how brand experience influences brand love, and how brand love subsequently impacts customer loyalty and satisfaction within a retail fashion context.
MethodQuantitative research using a structural equation model.
ProcedureCollected survey data from customers in a fashion retail store to test hypothesized relationships between brand experience, brand love, customer satisfaction, and loyalty.
Sample560 participants
ContextRetail fashion brand environment.

Variables

IV["Brand experience (sensory, affective dimensions)","Brand love"]
DV["Customer loyalty","Customer satisfaction"]
CV["Retail fashion brand context","Customer-brand relationship theory"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Large sample size (560 participants).
  • +Utilized structural equation modeling for robust analysis of relationships.

Limitations

The study focused on a single brand, so results might differ for brands with different market positions or target audiences.

Reliability & validity

The use of structural equation modeling and a large sample size generally supports the reliability and validity of the findings, though the context-specific nature of the study might limit external validity.

Think critically

How might the specific cultural context or demographic of the fashion brand's customers influence the impact of sensory and affective experiences on brand love?

05

Design Principles

"Emotional resonance and sensory engagement are key drivers of brand loyalty."

For fashion brands, understanding how to cultivate brand love through rich sensory and emotional experiences is crucial for building lasting customer relationships. This insight guides product development, store design, and marketing communications to focus on creating memorable and emotionally resonant interactions.

06

What This Means for Your Design

If a fashion brand makes you feel good with its sights, sounds, smells, and overall vibe, you're more likely to love the brand and keep coming back.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Use this research to justify design choices aimed at enhancing user experience and emotional connection.
  • 2.Cite this study when discussing how brand perception and emotional engagement influence user behaviour and loyalty.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research indicates that a strong brand experience, particularly through sensory and affective engagement, is a critical precursor to developing 'brand love.' This emotional connection, in turn, significantly enhances customer loyalty, both directly and by fostering greater satisfaction. Therefore, design strategies should prioritize the creation of rich, multi-sensory, and emotionally resonant brand interactions to cultivate lasting customer relationships.

09

Source

Management & Marketing

Brand Love as Mediator of the Brand Experience-Satisfaction-Loyalty Relationship in a Retail Fashion Brand

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about sensory and affective brand experiences drive brand love, leading to increased customer loyalty in fashion retail?
Focus on designing holistic brand experiences that appeal to the senses and emotions to cultivate deep customer affection and loyalty. Evidence: Management & Marketing (2019).
Why does "Sensory and affective brand experiences drive brand love, leading to increased customer loyalty in fashion retail." matter for design?
For fashion brands, understanding how to cultivate brand love through rich sensory and emotional experiences is crucial for building lasting customer relationships. This insight guides product development, store design, and marketing communications to focus on creating memorable and emotionally resonant interactions.
How can designers apply this research?
Focus on designing holistic brand experiences that appeal to the senses and emotions to cultivate deep customer affection and loyalty.
What were the main findings?
Brand experience, especially its sensory and affective dimensions, positively influences brand love.. Brand love has a direct positive effect on customer loyalty.. Brand love also indirectly influences customer loyalty through customer satisfaction.
What research method was used?
Quantitative research using a structural equation model. with 560 participants.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Management & Marketing.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing a new product line or retail space, map out the sensory and emotional journey for the customer and identify opportunities to enhance these aspects.
What are the limitations?
Findings are specific to one fashion brand and may not be generalizable to all retail settings or industries.