Impact of communication on brand love: the Salsa Jeans case in Portugal

The interaction between brands and consumers has been undergoing changes due to globalisation and the consequent proliferation of the consumer society, which has led to vigorous competition between the various brands. In addition, consumers are becoming increasingly informed, resulting in more conscious purchasing decisions. Brands are therefore seeking to gain a foothold by developing strong and lasting emotional ties with consumers. In fact, brands seek to win consumers’ attention through emotion and passion, which leads to the strategic importance of brand love.

The purpose of this study is to assess the role played by the uniqueness of brand communication and communication elements in brand love, and to explore the impact of brand love on loyalty and positive WOM, taking into account the Salsa Jeans brand in the Portuguese market.

A mixed methodology was adopted (qualitative, in an initial phase; quantitative, in a second phase). The data for the quantitative study was collected through an online questionnaire to a convenience sample, with a total of 96 responses.

The results show that the uniqueness of brand communication and the communication elements have a positive influence on brand love. In addition, the results demonstrate the positive impact that brand love has on brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

The results contribute to the state of the art by deepening our knowledge of brand love; its antecedents; and its consequences. From a practical point of view, the results provide brand managers with insights into the strategies to adopt for transforming liked brands into brands loved by consumers.