You Reflect Me: Narcissistic Consumers Prefer Anthropomorphized Arrogant Brands

Narcissism, a human trait that is commonly associated with arrogance, affects individuals' reactions to other people. Prior research has shown that narcissists love other narcissists just as they love their own reflections. Our research shows that the same holds true for brands that have been anthropomorphized and have arrogant brand personalities. Specifically, through three studies we demonstrate that narcissists have more positive attitudes toward brands that are arrogant but only when they are humanized, and self-congruence between the consumer and the brand mediates this effect.