When luxury brands roar: the effect of animal logo types on consumers’ luxury consumption

Purpose This study aims to examine how animal logo types of luxury brands influence consumers’ luxury consumption. Design/methodology/approach Based on the Stereotype Content Model, this research investigates whether competent (vs warm) animal logos influence consumers’ luxury consumption through perceived dominance, and how this effect is moderated by message appeal (competitive vs cooperative). The investigation employs a multi-method approach with seven interrelated studies: an exploratory study, an eye-tracking study and five controlled experiments. Findings The results demonstrate that consumers prefer luxury brands featuring competent animal logos over those with warm logos. This preference stems from the ability of competent animal logos to better fulfill consumers’ psychological need for perceived dominance. This effect, however, is appeal-dependent: within cooperative appeals, animal logo type does not significantly influence perceived dominance. Research limitations/implications Moving beyond a focus on animal symbolism, this study centers on visual design expression as the key driver of meaning in animal logos. It examines how such expression shapes consumer perceptions and behavior. This extends the Stereotype Content Model to animal representations in luxury branding and clarifies how consumers decide on luxury purchases. Practical implications This research offers practical implications for luxury goods companies regarding the strategic use of animal logos to drive luxury consumption and enhance brand strategy effectiveness. Originality/value While animal symbolism is widely used in branding, and animal logos are prevalent in luxury contexts, the influence of visual design expression in animal logos on consumer perception and decision-making remains underexplored. This study addresses this significant gap in luxury marketing research.