Brands we love to hate: differences in perceived versus observed driver behaviors

ABSTRACT

Brand positioning influences perceived utility and how the brand relates to different dimensions of consumers’ selves. While automobile brands promote certain positions, consumers’ actions and perceptions impact the actual brand positions. This study explores consumers’ expectations of driving behaviors as a dimension of brand position and the extent to which these perceptions reflect actual behaviors. Consumers were found to have significantly different driving expectations for different brands, impacting brand positioning. Drivers of different brands were found to drive differently, but the observed differences did not support consumer perceptions.