Higher-Order Utilitarian and Symbolic Antecedents of Brand Love and Consumers’ Behavioral Consequences for Smartphones

Abstract Using the categorization theory, this study explores the effects of higher-order functional and symbolic benefits on brand love (BL). It further studies the relationships between BL and consumers’ behavioral responses (positive word-of-mouth, willingness to pay a price premium, resistance to negative information and brand loyalty). The data were collected from 321 smartphone users, applying cross-sectional design, and analyzed by PLS-Structural Equation Modeling. The results show that perceived functional and symbolic benefits significantly predict consumer’s love for smartphone brands. Moreover, BL significantly mediates the relationships between higher-order antecedents and behavioral outcomes. This study theoretically contributes to the BL literature by establishing the generalizability of BL measure and reassuring the universality of its consequences in the Asian context for smartphone users.