A mixed-method study on consumers’ perception of brand morality and measurement

Yunyi Wei; Jason Sit; Yuksel Ekinci

A mixed-method study on consumers’ perception of brand morality and measurement

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Purpose: The present study challenges the conventional wisdom of theorising and measuring brand morality. Instead, it proposes an alternative mixed-method approach to examine and understand the concept to reflect today's consumer perceptions better.

Methodology: We followed the guidelines of Churchill (1979) and De Vellis (2021) and designed and conducted a mixed methodology to gauge and understand today's consumer perceptions of brand morality.

Findings: Morality can be a meaningful and practical concept for guiding brands to engage in good behaviours and avoid bad ones. Conventional wisdom un-differentiates brand morality from brand ethics and ignored their nuanced distinction. Grounded in two morality-focused theories, the present study identifies brand morality as related to but distinct from brand ethics. The two dimensions unique to brand morality are wisdom and decency.

Originality and value: The present study represents one of the few studies that differentiate morality from ethics in the branding literature. It also represents the first study that considers and synthesises two theories to explain and measure brand morality: Moral Foundations Theory and Moral as Cooperation.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 2023 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress
Publisher	Kent Business School
Publication status	Accepted for publication - 19 Jan 2023
Event	Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress - Kent Business School, Canterbury, United Kingdom Duration: 11 Jul 2023 → 14 Jul 2023 https://cdn.ymaws.com/member.ams-web.org/resource/resmgr/2023_wmc/81079_ams_2023_world_marketi.pdf

Conference

Conference	Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress
Abbreviated title	AMS GWC
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Canterbury
Period	11/07/23 → 14/07/23
Internet address	https://cdn.ymaws.com/member.ams-web.org/resource/resmgr/2023_wmc/81079_ams_2023_world_marketi.pdf

Keywords

Morality
Branding
Consumer perception
Scale development

Embargoed Document

GMC23_brandmorality_fullpaper_0723
Accepted author manuscript (Post-print), 233 KB
Due to publisher’s copyright restrictions, this document is not freely available to download from this website until: 1/01/50

1 Abstract
1 Article

Customer definitions of moral value for retail brands: a qualitative understanding
Wei, Y., Sit, K. & Ekinci, Y., 1 Mar 2024, In: Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 77, 12 p., 103697.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
43 Downloads (Pure)
Defining brand morality: a multi-stage consumer study
Wei, Y., Sit, J. & Ekinci, Y., 4 May 2022. 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review

Open Access

Developing and Validating a Brand Morality (BM) Scale with Retail Consumers
Author: Wei, Y., 19 Apr 2023
Supervisor: Ekinci, R. Y. (Supervisor) & Sit, K. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis

File

Cite this

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title = "A mixed-method study on consumers{\textquoteright} perception of brand morality and measurement",

abstract = "Purpose: The present study challenges the conventional wisdom of theorising and measuring brand morality. Instead, it proposes an alternative mixed-method approach to examine and understand the concept to reflect today's consumer perceptions better. Methodology: We followed the guidelines of Churchill (1979) and De Vellis (2021) and designed and conducted a mixed methodology to gauge and understand today's consumer perceptions of brand morality. Findings: Morality can be a meaningful and practical concept for guiding brands to engage in good behaviours and avoid bad ones. Conventional wisdom un-differentiates brand morality from brand ethics and ignored their nuanced distinction. Grounded in two morality-focused theories, the present study identifies brand morality as related to but distinct from brand ethics. The two dimensions unique to brand morality are wisdom and decency. Originality and value: The present study represents one of the few studies that differentiate morality from ethics in the branding literature. It also represents the first study that considers and synthesises two theories to explain and measure brand morality: Moral Foundations Theory and Moral as Cooperation.",

keywords = "Morality, Branding, Consumer perception, Scale development",

author = "Yunyi Wei and Jason Sit and Yuksel Ekinci",

note = "No ISSN present; Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress, AMS GWC ; Conference date: 11-07-2023 Through 14-07-2023",

year = "2023",

month = jan,

day = "19",

language = "English",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 2023 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress",

publisher = "Kent Business School",

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url = "https://cdn.ymaws.com/member.ams-web.org/resource/resmgr/2023_wmc/81079_ams_2023_world_marketi.pdf",

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T1 - A mixed-method study on consumers’ perception of brand morality and measurement

AU - Wei, Yunyi

AU - Sit, Jason

AU - Ekinci, Yuksel

N1 - No ISSN present

PY - 2023/1/19

Y1 - 2023/1/19

N2 - Purpose: The present study challenges the conventional wisdom of theorising and measuring brand morality. Instead, it proposes an alternative mixed-method approach to examine and understand the concept to reflect today's consumer perceptions better. Methodology: We followed the guidelines of Churchill (1979) and De Vellis (2021) and designed and conducted a mixed methodology to gauge and understand today's consumer perceptions of brand morality. Findings: Morality can be a meaningful and practical concept for guiding brands to engage in good behaviours and avoid bad ones. Conventional wisdom un-differentiates brand morality from brand ethics and ignored their nuanced distinction. Grounded in two morality-focused theories, the present study identifies brand morality as related to but distinct from brand ethics. The two dimensions unique to brand morality are wisdom and decency. Originality and value: The present study represents one of the few studies that differentiate morality from ethics in the branding literature. It also represents the first study that considers and synthesises two theories to explain and measure brand morality: Moral Foundations Theory and Moral as Cooperation.

AB - Purpose: The present study challenges the conventional wisdom of theorising and measuring brand morality. Instead, it proposes an alternative mixed-method approach to examine and understand the concept to reflect today's consumer perceptions better. Methodology: We followed the guidelines of Churchill (1979) and De Vellis (2021) and designed and conducted a mixed methodology to gauge and understand today's consumer perceptions of brand morality. Findings: Morality can be a meaningful and practical concept for guiding brands to engage in good behaviours and avoid bad ones. Conventional wisdom un-differentiates brand morality from brand ethics and ignored their nuanced distinction. Grounded in two morality-focused theories, the present study identifies brand morality as related to but distinct from brand ethics. The two dimensions unique to brand morality are wisdom and decency. Originality and value: The present study represents one of the few studies that differentiate morality from ethics in the branding literature. It also represents the first study that considers and synthesises two theories to explain and measure brand morality: Moral Foundations Theory and Moral as Cooperation.

KW - Morality

KW - Branding

KW - Consumer perception

KW - Scale development

UR - https://cdn.ymaws.com/member.ams-web.org/resource/resmgr/2023_wmc/81079_ams_2023_world_marketi.pdf

UR - https://www.kent.ac.uk/whats-on/event/54736/ams-world-marketing-congress

M3 - Conference contribution

BT - Proceedings of the 2023 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress

PB - Kent Business School

T2 - Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress

Y2 - 11 July 2023 through 14 July 2023

ER -

A mixed-method study on consumers’ perception of brand morality and measurement

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Embargoed Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Customer definitions of moral value for retail brands: a qualitative understanding

Defining brand morality: a multi-stage consumer study

Student theses

Developing and Validating a Brand Morality (BM) Scale with Retail Consumers

Cite this