From Brand Community Identification to Brand Loyalty:A Study on Mediating and Moderating Effects

Most present studies point out that brand community identification will lead to brand loyalty,but the mediating and moderating mechanism between the two have not been sufficiently explored.Based on the theory of categorization and guanxilization,this study discusses two indirect paths from brand community identification to brand loyalty,and mediating effects of brand identification and brand community commitment;relying on the Learning Transfer Theory,this article explores the moderating effects of perceived community-brand similarity.Empirical results from PLS have shown that brand community commitment and brand identification both fully mediate in the relationship between brand community identification and brand loyalty,perceived community-brand similarity moderates the relationship between brand community identification and brand loyalty.This research result can enrich the theory of brand community and provide practical guidance to companies in developing brand communities.