How Brand Engagement Self-Concept (BESC) and Openness Affect Brand Attitude
Start Date
August 2025
End Date
August 2025
Location
ALT 302
Abstract
Research on consumer–brand relationships has long emphasized the role of brands as identifiers that help individuals navigate the marketplace. Increasingly, scholars recognize that consumers often choose brands that align with their self-concept—not merely for external validation, but as a confirmation of identity integration. Brand Engagement in Self-Concept (BESC) captures the extent to which individuals incorporate brands into their self-view. While previous studies have examined how brands contribute to identity formation, less attention has been paid to how varying levels of BESC shape consumer responses to brand phenomena such as new brands and rebrands. Understanding BESC in the context of contemporary brand strategies is essential, as firms must differentiate themselves with limited resources and increasingly identity-driven consumers. Our findings reveal that consumers with low versus high BESC exhibit affective responses to new brand strategies, a pattern that can be explained by differences in dispositional openness.
How Brand Engagement Self-Concept (BESC) and Openness Affect Brand Attitude
ALT 302
Research on consumer–brand relationships has long emphasized the role of brands as identifiers that help individuals navigate the marketplace. Increasingly, scholars recognize that consumers often choose brands that align with their self-concept—not merely for external validation, but as a confirmation of identity integration. Brand Engagement in Self-Concept (BESC) captures the extent to which individuals incorporate brands into their self-view. While previous studies have examined how brands contribute to identity formation, less attention has been paid to how varying levels of BESC shape consumer responses to brand phenomena such as new brands and rebrands. Understanding BESC in the context of contemporary brand strategies is essential, as firms must differentiate themselves with limited resources and increasingly identity-driven consumers. Our findings reveal that consumers with low versus high BESC exhibit affective responses to new brand strategies, a pattern that can be explained by differences in dispositional openness.
