Short answer
Invest in creating a strong emotional narrative and brand experience for luxury products, as this is a primary driver of purchase intention, particularly for brands with established recognition.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- eSpace (Curtin University) (2012)
- Method
- Quantitative survey research
- Sample
- Not specified, but described as 'students at a large Western Australian university'.
- Evidence
- Strong effect
The perceived emotional value of a luxury apparel brand significantly influences a consumer's purchase intention, with this effect being more pronounced for well-known brands. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2012 study published in eSpace (Curtin University). Using Quantitative survey research with Not specified, but described as 'students at a large Western Australian university'., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Invest in creating a strong emotional narrative and brand experience for luxury products, as this is a primary driver of purchase intention, particularly for brands with established recognition.
Emotional value drives luxury apparel purchase intention, especially for established brands.
The perceived emotional value of a luxury apparel brand significantly influences a consumer's purchase intention, with this effect being more pronounced for well-known brands.
eSpace (Curtin University) · 2012
Key Findings
- 01Brand familiarity plays a key role in determining purchase intention for both status and non-status consumers.
- 02For established brands, status consumers showed significant relationships between brand perceptions (brand judgment, emotional value) and purchase intention.
- 03Emotional value had the strongest and most significant effect on purchase intentions under both fictitious and established brand conditions.
- 04Dimensions of the need for uniqueness had differing relationships with purchase intention depending on brand familiarity.
Application
Design takeaway
Invest in creating a strong emotional narrative and brand experience for luxury products, as this is a primary driver of purchase intention, particularly for brands with established recognition.
How to apply
When developing branding for luxury goods, focus on storytelling, sensory experiences, and aspirational messaging that evoke positive emotions. For established brands, leverage existing brand equity to amplify emotional connections.
Project actions
- 01When researching consumer behaviour for luxury products, consider measuring emotional value alongside functional attributes.
- 02Explore how brand familiarity moderates the relationship between brand perception and purchase intention in your design project.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Investigated the interplay between brand familiarity, emotional value, and purchase intention.
- +Examined multiple dimensions of the 'need for uniqueness'.
Limitations
Student samples may not reflect the purchasing power or diverse motivations of the general consumer population. The study's focus on apparel might not extend to other luxury product categories.
Reliability & validity
The use of a questionnaire with established scales for need for uniqueness and purchase intention would contribute to reliability. Validity would depend on the appropriateness of the fictitious and established brands chosen and the clarity of the stimulus.
Think critically
To what extent can the findings regarding emotional value be generalized to non-luxury product categories, and how might the 'need for uniqueness' manifest differently across various product types?
Design Principles
"Emotional resonance is a key driver of consumer purchase intention in the luxury market."
Understanding the emotional connection consumers have with brands is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies. For established luxury brands, fostering and communicating this emotional value can be a more potent driver of sales than for new or fictitious brands.
What This Means for Your Design
For luxury clothes, how a brand makes you feel is more important than how unique it is, especially if you already know the brand. This feeling strongly influences whether you want to buy it.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this study to justify focusing on emotional branding strategies in your design project, especially if targeting a market segment that values status or emotional connection.
- 2.Cite this research when discussing the importance of brand perception and its impact on consumer behaviour in your design analysis.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that for luxury apparel, the perceived emotional value of a brand is a critical determinant of purchase intention, particularly for established brands (Latter, 2012). This suggests that design and marketing efforts should prioritize cultivating strong emotional connections with consumers, as this can be a more potent driver than functional attributes or even uniqueness, especially within familiar brand contexts.
Source
eSpace (Curtin University)
Status consumption and uniqueness : effects on brand judgement and purchase intention
journal · 2012
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about emotional value drives luxury apparel purchase intention, especially for established brands?
- Invest in creating a strong emotional narrative and brand experience for luxury products, as this is a primary driver of purchase intention, particularly for brands with established recognition. Evidence: eSpace (Curtin University) (2012).
- Why does "Emotional value drives luxury apparel purchase intention, especially for established brands." matter for design?
- Understanding the emotional connection consumers have with brands is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies. For established luxury brands, fostering and communicating this emotional value can be a more potent driver of sales than for new or fictitious brands.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Invest in creating a strong emotional narrative and brand experience for luxury products, as this is a primary driver of purchase intention, particularly for brands with established recognition.
- What were the main findings?
- Brand familiarity plays a key role in determining purchase intention for both status and non-status consumers.. For established brands, status consumers showed significant relationships between brand perceptions (brand judgment, emotional value) and purchase intention.. Emotional value had the strongest and most significant effect on purchase intentions under both fictitious and established brand conditions.. Dimensions of the need for uniqueness had differing relationships with purchase intention depending on brand familiarity.
- What research method was used?
- Quantitative survey research with Not specified, but described as 'students at a large Western Australian university'..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2012 journal from eSpace (Curtin University).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing branding for luxury goods, focus on storytelling, sensory experiences, and aspirational messaging that evoke positive emotions. For established brands, leverage existing brand equity to amplify emotional connections.
- What are the limitations?
- The study sample consisted of university students, which may not be representative of the broader Generation Y population in Australia. The study alluded to high prices but did not explicitly measure price perception.