Exploring masstige brands' antecedents and outcomes

Abstract This study focused on developing a new conceptual model of consumers' perceptions of—and behaviours towards—masstige brands based on consumer‐brand relationship and brand equity theory, which was then applied using quantitative data analysis. The research model facilitated an exploration of how important brand love, co‐creation and need for uniqueness are as masstige brand antecedents and of whether brand happiness, brand loyalty and electronic word of mouth are outcomes. The proposed model's generalisability was assessed based on consumer data on a total sample of 1041 consumers from three countries: the United States, Portugal and China. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares‐structural equation modelling. The results show that the model is well specified, and all the hypothesised relationships between the selected constructs related to masstige brands are supported by the data. The five brands included in the questionnaire have Masstige Mean Score Scale Index values indicating that these brands fit in this classification. The findings have a wide range of theoretical and managerial implications.