Corporate Image Effects on Consumers’ Evaluation of Brand Trust and Brand Affect

Abstract

This research investigates relationships between a company’ s corporate image and consumer attitudes toward brands in the company. It also examines the fit between a company and its individual products and consumer-company identification as intervening variables between the relationships.

Data for this research were collected from 347 undergraduate students through a survey. They were asked to provide their perceptions on two brands for each of 8 large Korean companies.

The results indicate that corporate image directly influences brand trust, whereas it does not affect brand trust indirectly, through company-product fit. Also, the results indicate that corporate image does not directly influence brand affect, whereas it does influence brand affect indirectly, through consumer-company identification.

Key Words:

• corporate image
• company-product fit
• consumer-company identification
• brand trust
• brand affect