Linking perceived brand ethicality to brand evangelism

Purpose Drawing upon social exchange and psychological ownership theories, this study aims to develop a model to investigate the mechanisms through which perceived brand ethicality fosters brand evangelism. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 629 brand community members in the organic supermarket and food retail sectors. A structural equation modeling approach was used to test the proposed model and hypotheses. Findings Perceived brand ethicality positively affects premium payment for brand community membership and participation in brand community social events, both of which subsequently enhance brand evangelism through brand psychological ownership. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to address brand evangelism through the lens of perceived brand ethicality by developing an integrated framework based on the perspectives of social exchange and psychological ownership.