For better, for worse: A case study of Apple’s iPhone tracing the role of self-brand connection among smartphone users

Larsen, Asbjørn Ringgren ; Rezackova, Lucie

4. term

Economics and Business Administration (International Marketing), Master

2016

84

Smartphones er blevet en del af hverdagen, og mange købere kigger mod Apple, som ofte opfattes som virksomheden, der ændrede markedet. De fleste vælger en telefon ved at matche funktioner med behov, men forfatterne lagde mærke til, at iPhone-brugere ofte viser en usædvanlig loyalitet sammenlignet med brugere af andre mærker. Dette studie undersøger hvorfor, med fokus på self-brand connection—i hvor høj grad folk oplever, at et brand afspejler, hvem de er. For at undersøge dette udviklede forfatterne et spørgeskema og testede hypoteser, hvor iPhone-kunder blev sammenlignet med brugere af andre smartphones. Målet var at se, hvor stærkt forbrugernes identitet knytter sig til et brands identitet, og om denne forbindelse er anderledes for Apple. Resultaterne tyder på, at de fleste Apple-kunder faktisk har en self-brand connection til virksomheden. Studiet peger også på, at andre mærker kan opbygge et lignende bånd, hvis to betingelser er opfyldt: de formidler en klar, relaterbar brandvision, og de holder produktudvalget enkelt med så få modeller som muligt.

Smartphones have become part of everyday life, and many shoppers look to Apple, a company often seen as having changed the market. While most people choose a phone by matching features to their needs, the authors noticed that iPhone users often show an unusual level of loyalty compared with users of other brands. This study explores why, focusing on self–brand connection—the extent to which people feel a brand reflects who they are. To investigate this, the authors designed a questionnaire and tested hypotheses comparing iPhone customers with users of other smartphones. The goal was to see how strongly consumers’ identities connect with a brand’s identity, and whether this link is different for Apple. The results indicate that most Apple customers do have a self–brand connection with the company. The study also suggests that other brands can build a similar bond if two conditions are met: they communicate a clear, relatable brand vision, and they keep the product range simple, with as few models as possible.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

self-concept ; self-identity ; self-brand connection ; Apple ; smartphone ; brand love

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