PROMOTION OF MODEST CLOTHING BY A WESTERN RETAILER: INDICATION OF BRAND INCLUSIVENESS OR NEGATIVE IMPACT ON CONSUMER BASED BRAND EQUITY?

Aytak Amininajafi

Abstract: This research was an investigation into promotion of modest clothing by a Western retailer meant to discover the effects of an inclusive marketing approach on consumer based brand equity. The purpose of the study was to observe possible differences between Muslim customers’ perception of consumer based brand equity in comparison to non-Muslim customers’ perception. This survey-based study was descriptive, quantitative and comparative since it used a measurement scale to compare two groups of Muslims vs. non-Muslims. The sample was drawn from the population of H&M customers who liked the H&M Facebook page. The results of this research assist marketers in explaining and addressing the conflicting needs of different customer bases. One independent variable, religion, and one dependent variable, consumer based brand equity (comprised of five components, i.e. quality, preference, sustainability, social influence and leadership) have been included in the study. The related data was tested using MANOVA. The results revealed significant difference between Muslim and non-Muslim customers’ perception of quality, preference, social influence and leadership as components of consumer based brand equity. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups’ perception of sustainability as a component of consumer based brand equity.

Keywords: brand equity, consumer based brand equity, religion, sustainability

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2017.0616008