The Impact of Brand Salience on Trash Talking with Emphasis on Compulsive Buying

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Prof., Department of Business Management, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

2 MSc., Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management, Economics and Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

3 MSc. Student, Department of Business Management, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jibm.2024.373018.4758

Abstract

Objective
Brands are recognized as vital organizational assets that can influence consumer perceptions and behaviors. In today's complex and competitive market, consumers face diverse choices and have limited time for decision-making. Close relationships with loyal consumers are a critical asset for companies, as they strengthen brand positioning through repeat purchases, word-of-mouth communication, and brand advocacy. Brand trash-talking, as a provocative communicative behavior, involves disparaging rival brands to elevate one's brand and can present both opportunities and threats for brands. Brand attachment, encompassing brand passion, brand salience, and brand anxiety, plays a significant role in consumer behaviors such as compulsive buying and brand trash-talking. Compulsive buying, as a behavioral disorder, has negative psychological and economic consequences, and in the digital age, with the growth of mobile and internet technologies, this behavior has gained increasing attention. Given the importance of smartphones and the intense competition among leading brands such as Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and HTC, examining the impact of brand attachment dimensions and compulsive buying on brand trash-talking among mobile phone consumers in Tehran holds particular significance. This study seeks to bridge existing research gaps by examining these relationships, providing insights that can help marketers and businesses develop effective strategies to foster brand loyalty and drive brand success.
 
Methodology
This study is applied in terms of its objective and employs a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design for data collection and analysis. The statistical population consists of mobile phone consumers of iPhone, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and HTC brands in Tehran. Since the population size was unknown, Cochran’s formula was used to determine the sample size, resulting in 385 participants. A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was employed. The research instrument was a questionnaire adapted from Japutra et al. (2022), using a five-point Likert scale. Reliability was confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha, and validity was assessed via content and construct validity. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Smart PLS3 and SPSS.
 
Findings
Descriptive data revealed that the majority of respondents were aged 25–35 (48.1%), followed by 35–44 (31.4%), 45–54 (14.3%), 55–65 (4.4%), and over 65 (1.8%). The education levels of respondents were as follows: bachelor’s degrees (35.1%), master’s degrees (19%), diplomas (17.9%), associate degrees (11.9%), below diploma (10.9%), and PhDs (5.2%). Inferential findings indicated that brand passion has a direct and significant effect on compulsive buying and brand trash-talking. Additionally, brand salience positively and significantly influences brand passion, brand anxiety, and compulsive buying. Furthermore, compulsive buying and brand anxiety directly and significantly affect brand trash-talking.
 
Conclusion
Brand salience has a substantial impact on consumer behavior, particularly on brand trash-talking. Compulsive purchases, brand passion, and brand anxiety are all influenced by a brand’s visibility in the market. When a brand is prominent, consumers are more likely to engage in compulsive buying and may experience stronger emotions such as passion or anxiety when interacting with a well-known brand. Therefore, marketers should consider the effect of brand salience on consumer behavior when developing branding strategies to effectively engage target audiences. This research provides a foundation for future studies exploring the diverse effects of brand salience on consumer behavior and for enhancing brand marketing strategies.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
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Journal of Business Management
Volume 17, Issue 3
2025
Pages 31-63

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