Title: Effects of customer perception and social interactions on brand equity: automobile sector

Authors: Archana Singh

Addresses: ASET, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Block E3, Sector-125, Noida, U.P., India

Abstract: The consumer perceptions, attitude and behaviours towards a product have witnessed a boom in marketing in recent past. The customer perceptions and behaviour are logical a precursor to, product brand equity. We proposed a model by using relevant mediators to calculate the value of car brand equity. Since the link between predictors, mediators and dependent variables is quantified. The model includes utility and artistic as two antecedents, two mediators' customer perception and customer interactions on social media websites to assess the influence on the car brand equity (consequent). The study used the stepwise regression technique to evaluate the hypotheses results. A sample size of 332 customers using Maruti cars in India was examined to determine the mediating effect on car brand equity. Our findings recommend that the social interactions about car play a significant role in deciding brand equity along with other properties. The paper provides an important contribution in providing the managerial insight in formulating new policies, marketing strategies to promote cars online.

Keywords: brand equity; customer perceptions; antecedents; automobile industry; social interactions; customer attitudes; customer behaviour; car brands; vehicle brands; social media; social networking sites; SNS; utility; aesthetics; India; automotive brands.

DOI: 10.1504/IJDATS.2017.083059

International Journal of Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies, 2017 Vol.9 No.1, pp.75 - 98

Received: 03 Feb 2015
Accepted: 04 Sep 2015

Published online: 20 Mar 2017 *

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