The effect of brand heritage on consumer-brand relationships

Heritage is a brand value proposition that provides a unique basis for building and maintaining strong relationships with consumers. Seeking to understand how this strategic resource influences the relations between consumers and brands, this study aims to examine brand heritage as a determinant of the self-reinforcing elements (enticing, enabling and enriching-the-self). A survey was carried out with 309 Brazilian and American consumers to test the proposed relationships. Based on a structural equation model, the results demonstrated that consumers process the characteristics related to brand heritage through the three self-reinforcing elements, but their overall effect on self-brand connection occurs only through sensory and aesthetic pleasure that the brand offers (enticing-the-self). The study also presents academic and managerial implications and makes recommendations for future research.