1.

Abstract
The objective of this study is to determine the influence of brand personality and self-concept of
consumers on brand preference in the context of Pakistan. The study will incorporate relational
variables and present analysis according to demographical segmentation of the country in shoe
industry. Precious studies suggest that for any given product, its non-functional characteristics
tend to play a role in purchasing decision of consumers. (Arpita Khare, 2009)
Keywords: Brand personality, Self-concept, Brand Preference, Pakistan
2. Introduction
Modernized concept of brand has emerged as a result of unceasing evolution for the past few
decades. The concept of brand is no longer limited to any product or service; it plays a vital role
in sustaining basic and unmet needs of consumers. Organizations have begun to realize the
significance of brand as it is the key driver in purchasing decisions costumers make. The
products people buy can act as signals of identity, allowing consumers to construct, express and
communicate useful information about their self-image to themselves and to others. Consumers
not only purchase products, but lifestyles. As a result, consumption becomes a vehicle for
exhibition of their identity construct. (Ilaw, 2014)
Recent studies suggest that providing a brand with symbolic association not only facilitates
intangible needs of consumers, but also acts as a factor in determining their buying behavior.
Hence, marketers readily observe psychological behaviors of their targeted audience and actively
engage in emotional selling of products through opinion leaders. Costumers tend to be more
loyal to brands projecting their self-inspiration and self-concept.
In the fashion industry, giants like LOral partner with Marvel Comics during the introduction
of new portfolios in different market segments in order to change the perception of the brand in
the mind of the consumers. With the word fashion googled over four billion times a year, beauty
industry marketers produce globalized products with little or no uniformity as the self-concept
varies abundantly in different geographical regions.
Forbes suggest that brand personality could differentiate and create competitive advantage in the
consumers minds for brands that otherwise are indistinguishable from their competitors. (Ben
Webb) The idea of the said research is to determine whether brand image assists consumers in
projecting their self-concept to the world and if such brand tend to gain preference due to their
representative characteristics in the shoe industry.

3. Self-Concept
Self-concept is distinguishable from self-awareness, which refers to the extent to which selfknowledge is defined, consistent, and currently applicable to one's attitudes and dispositions.
(Ayduk, Gyurak, & Luerssen, 2009) The self-concept is defined as a type of interior model that
resides within the perception of consumers and act as assessment mechanism to channelize and
address ones own schemas.
Sigmund Freud played an importance role in recognizing the significance of how intangible
values and desires affect intellectual process of decision making. He stated the fact that human
being have unique characteristics indicating certain pleasure principles determining what they
desire based on their opinion about themselves which he termed self-concept. According to him,
these desires have the ability to regulate outcomes.
Specifically, promotional efforts may be more effective if they are directed toward establishing a
product image congruent with the consumer's own self-concept. A matching advertising appeal,
compared to non-matching appeals, may lead consumers to subsequent behaviors favorable to
the product advertised. (George M. Zinkhan, 1991) Marketing giants like BMW excel in
targeting latest upscale consumers through emotional appeals. The company represents their
perception about their own selves. The deluxe and luxurious brand epitomizes the concept of
excellence and wealth pertaining to the sumptuous lifestyles of modern baby boomers and
profuse professionals.
4. Brand Personality
Brand personality is defined as the set of characteristics associated with a brand. (Philip Kotler,
2008) Initially marketers analyzed in reviewing psychographic segmentation of their targeted
audience as it is the core of identifying the behavior flourished from fundamental standards.
These fundamental values were presented in Big Five Personality characteristics. Marketing
teams would then construct consumer profile based on the data according to the said theory.
The elements of Big Five Theory include:

Openness to experience

Conscientiousness

Extraversion

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

Later on, with the advent of 21 st century, they were convinced that the personality theory alone
could not utterly comprehend the concept of brand personality. Research illustrates that
consumers do not respond to brand the same way they do to people, rather their feedback is
present in a reliable, quantifiable way which was termed as brand five.
Due to the very arrival of big five, brand personality are more calculable and human behavior
can be premeditated in a more statistical way. With the assistance of big five and psychographic
segmentation, marketers have redefined their tactic to influence their target consumers. The key
fundamentals of the said theory are as follows:

Elements

Items highest to total correlation

Sincerity

Domestic, Honest, Genuine, Cheerful

Excitement

Daring, Spirited, Imaginative

Competence

Reliable, Responsible, Efficient, Dependable

Sophistication

Glamorous, Charming, Romantic

Ruggedness

Tough, Strong, Outdoorsy

(Aaker, 1997)

5. Brand Preference
Brand preference is defined variously as the consumers predispositions toward a brand that
varies depending on the salient beliefs that are activated at a given time; the consumer biasness
toward a certain brand; the extent to which a consumer favors one brand over another. (Ebrahim,
2011)
Brand preference is the consequence of biasness in consumers beliefs. Costumers tend to form
emotional associations to the brand and as a result, favor them more than rest. Brand preference
is emerged due to cultural beliefs, strong emotional appeals, attractive pricing, etc.
6. Literature Review