Contribution of concept recall to brand loyalty: An empirical analysis of design and performance

With industries becoming technologically advanced, the source of competitiveness has shifted from a functional value, such as performance and durability, to an emotional value, such as design and comfort. To create an emotional value, the concept of a brand should be consistently embodied in a product or service to enhance its appeal. In the brand management of products and services, although performance and design are surveyed as factors of the repurchase or recommendation intention, the concept remains unused. This study hypothesized that "considering reasons behind the repurchase intention of products/services, consumers who recall the concept of the product are more likely to repurchase than consumers who recall the specific characteristics, such as design and performance." The target products included Apple MacBook Pro, Dyson Canister Vacuum Cleaner, and Nintendo Switch, and services included Facebook, Starbucks, and Disney. The multiple regression results show that concept contributed more than design, comfort, performance, price, and word of mouth. Therefore, the proposed hypothesis was supported. As a practical implication, a new index known as concept recall can be adopted as a factor of brand loyalty in brand management. Although the index is simple, few studies have claimed the effectiveness of the indicator based on scientific grounds. Empathy, along with the concept, is paramount in acquiring consumer brand loyalty; design/UX is merely a means to embody the concept. The proposed index should be the basis of decision-making and should not turn into "a means to an end."