Exploring the Connect Between Personal Values and Brand Image and its Impact on Brand Liking - An Institutional Brand Perspective

In this era of intense competition one of the best ways to retain a competitive advantage over a period of time is by building a brand. One of the aspects of brand building is the positive feelings that the marketer is able to develop for his brand in the minds of the target audience. This liking will be a buffer in times of crisis and a competitive advantage in times of plenty for the brand. There are different things that contribute to brand loyalty. Studies have proven that the self-image congruity the person has with the brand image or personality helps in creating loyalty to the brand. In this study, the connect between personal values and brand image was studied. And instead of brand loyalty, the study has tried to examine whether this connect leads to brand liking. Further, since the term brand encompasses a vast number of goods and services, only top institutional brands in India, in this case, Tata and Reliance have been taken for analysis. The results indicate that self-perception traits do not significantly influence brand preference for either brand, which means that external brand attributes and social perceptions are more influential than individual personality characteristics. In summary, the study highlights two distinct brand positioning strategies: Tata’s brand appeal is rooted in ethical alignment and employee-centric values. Reliance benefits more from a strong social identity and customer-based community perception.