The Mediating Role of Brand Love in the Relationship Between Consumer-Based Brand Equity and Brand Loyalty: a Research on Starbucks

The present study aims to determine the mediating role of brand love in the relationship between CBBE and brand loyalty. The study makes an analysis of CBBE, brand loyalty, and brand love related to Starbucks - a global coffee house and roastery catering concept. The study population comprises customers of the Starbucks enterprises operating in the city of Mersin, Turkey, and adopts a convenience sampling method. During the data collection process, 384 customers of Starbucks stores within Mersin who were over 18 years of age were surveyed. The dependent variables of the study are "brand loyalty" and "brand love," whereas the independent variable is "CBBE". The hypotheses developed in the research model were tested through structural equation modeling (SEM). Based on the study findings, it was concluded that brand love, as well as the dimensions of CBBE of "Service Quality: Physical Quality SQ:PQ" and "Lifestyle-Congruence LC", had full mediation with brand loyalty, while "Service Quality: Staff Behavior SQ:SB", "Ideal Self-Congruence IS-C" and "Brand Identification BI" had no such mediating effect on brand loyalty. In the study, the mediating role of brand love in terms of the impact of CBBE in the service industry on brand loyalty has been examined for the first time. The research findings show that a strong bond will be established with the target audience through compatible and parallel strategies that will be implemented by the managers on the SQ:PQ and LC dimensions of CBBE and this situation will increase loyalty to the brand. As a result of the consumers' strong emotions and their increasing loyalty towards the brand, this situation will lead the businesses in the service industry to protect their market share along with having a positive impact on their sustainable competition and profitability.