A path analysis of apparel brand equity in the context of utilitarian and hedonic buying behaviors among male and female college students

Abstract

The internet is flooded with research on the influence of brand equity on consumer buying behavior. This paper offers a reversal of the variables wherein brand equity becomes the dependent variable and consumer buying behaviors (utilitarian and hedonic), along with sex, as the independent variables. Employing path analysis, the study delves into the dominant buying behavior of 300 graduating college male and female university students in Region XI. They are the prospective consumers of apparel products once employed in the immediate future. The study highlights the interconnectedness of utilitarian and hedonic buying behaviors in shaping the brand equity of apparel goods. Sex, on the other hand, is not a significant predictor of consumer buying behavior and brand equity.