The brand likeability scale: an exploratory study of likeability in firm-level brands

We develop a new measurement scale to assess consumers’ brand likeability in firm-level brands. We present brand likeability as a multi-dimensional construct. In the context of service experience purchases, we find that increased likeability in brands results in (1) greater amount of positive association, (2) increased interaction interest, (3) more personified quality, and (4) increased brand contentment. The four-dimensional multiple-item scale demonstrates good psychometric properties, showing strong evidence of reliability as well as convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity. Our findings reveal that brand likeability is positively associated with satisfaction and positive word-of-mouth. The scale extends existing branding research, providing brand managers with a metric so that likeability can be managed strategically. It addresses the need for firms to act more likeable in an interaction-dominated economy. Focusing on likeability acts as a differentiator and encourages likeable brand personality traits. We present theoretical implications and future research directions on the holistic brand likeability concept.

The definitive version of this paper is available at www.mrs.org.uk/ijmr.
Bang Nguyen, Yuksel Ekinci, Lyndon Simkin, T.C. Melewar, The Brand Likeability Scale: An Exploratory Study of Likeability in Firm-Level Brands, International Journal of Market Research,
Vol 57, Issue 5, pp. 777 - 800. Copyright © 2015 The Market Research Society. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.