Developing Brand Relationships after a Brand Transgression: The Role of Implicit Theories of Relationships

Purpose Salesperson performance is accepted as a relevant factor of retailing success. However, scarce studies reveal the relationship between sales performance and brand relationship. The purpose of this study is both, from one side, to empirically demonstrate the impact of salesperson brand attachment (SBA) on sales performance and, on the other side, to identify the mediators of this relationship in small retailing. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with a sample of 206 small retailers from different sectors of an emerging country. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS3. Findings The results demonstrated that SBA is relevant to driving sales performance through two relevant paths – one following SBA–satisfaction–performance and one path following the SBA–commitment–performance. The model was able to explain 63% of the outcome performance. Practical implications Regarding small retailers, where the owners, employees and managers have higher levels of interaction than the large national retail chains, the marketing executives must invest in improving the attachment to the brand and create emotional bonds and cognition between marketers and the brand. They must develop strategies to promote job satisfaction and organizational commitment because they determine performance. Originality/value Despite the relevance of small businesses for economies worldwide and the importance of salesperson brand relationships, no study has been developed to demonstrate the impacts of such relationships on salesperson performance in retailing. Furthermore, in addition to the central role of organizational commitment in the sales research, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore how to mediate the relationship between brand attachment and sales performance.

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Biased Recollections in Older Adults: The Role of Implicit Theories of Aging

Social Cognition ◽

10.4324/9780203496398-33 ◽

2004 ◽

pp. 541-558

Author(s):

Cathy McFarland ◽

Michael Ross ◽

Mark Giltrow

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Implicit Theories ◽

Theories Of Aging

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Trajectories of implicit theories and their relations to scholastic aptitude: A mediational role of achievement goals

Contemporary Educational Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101800 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 59 ◽

pp. 101800 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

You-kyung Lee ◽

Eunjin Seo

Keyword(s):

Achievement Goals ◽

Implicit Theories ◽

Scholastic Aptitude ◽

Mediational Role

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Looking at you: celebrity direct eye gaze influences social media post effectiveness

European Journal of Marketing ◽

10.1108/ejm-02-2019-0171 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 (12) ◽

pp. 3051-3076

Author(s):

Jasmina Ilicic ◽

Stacey M. Brennan

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Relations ◽

Behavioral Intentions ◽

Eye Gaze ◽

Brand Relationships ◽

Verbal Cues ◽

Content Type ◽

Moderating Role ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce and examine the effect of a celebrity’s eye gaze on self-celebrity connection. A celebrity’s direct (vs averted) eye gaze can be used as a tactic in social media posts to increase self-celebrity connection and behavioral intentions. Examining the effectiveness of a celebrity’s eye gaze is important, as celebrities regularly use social media to manage their brand image and to build a relationship with consumers. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 examines the effect of a celebrity’s eye gaze (direct vs averted) on self-celebrity connection. Study 2 investigates the role of celebrity authenticity in explaining the effect of a celebrity’s eye gaze on consumer–celebrity brand relationships. Study 3 examines the moderating role of a non-Duchenne smile (fake, social smile) in diluting the effect of a celebrity’s direct eye gaze on self-celebrity connection and the downstream consequences on behavioral intentions. Findings The findings from Study 1 indicate that a celebrity’s direct (averted) eye gaze strengthens (weakens) self-celebrity connection. Study 2 provides evidence of celebrity authenticity as the explanation for stronger consumer–celebrity connection when a celebrity is featured with a direct eye gaze. The results of Study 3 show that a fake smile in a celebrity’s social media posts can weaken relationships with and behavioral intentions toward celebrities with a direct eye gaze. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited, as it focuses only on eye gaze and smiles as non-verbal cues depicted in celebrity images on social media. Practical implications This paper has important implications for celebrities, celebrity brand managers (including digital/social media marketing managers and public relations professionals) and advertisers. Celebrities, celebrity brand managers and advertisers should develop social media posts that can strengthen consumer–celebrity relationships and positively influence behaviors toward the celebrity through: 1) ensuring that photographs are taken with the celebrity looking directly into the camera at the target (audience); and 2) avoiding posting images of a celebrity’s direct eye gaze with a non-Duchenne (fake) smile. Originality/value This paper introduces and provides evidence of a celebrity’s direct eye gaze–self-celebrity relationship effect. Tactics, such as eye gaze, can strengthen consumer–celebrity relationships, which is crucial in building brand equity and in increasing financial value for the celebrity.

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