Causal Relationships among Dimensions of Consumer-Based Brand Equity and Purchase Intention: Fashion Industry

Due to the intense competition in market place, customers nowadays are exposed to several brands from across the globe. Building the brand equity becomes an important source of differentiation. It is widely recognized the important role of brand image in establishing brand awareness and brand attitude. Numbers of research are still debating on relationship among the dimensions of brand equity and yet no conclusive decision has been made. The purpose of the research is to investigate the relationship among the dimensions of brand equity and propose a model that predicts the purchase intention in fashion industry. The result confirms the casual relationship among the dimensions of brand equity. Interestingly perceived quality rather than brand image has stronger impact on brand loyalty and brand loyalty rather than perceived quality has stronger impact on purchase intention. This study contributes the original model of customer based brand equity of Aaker by introducing brand image as one of the assets to measure the brand equity concept. Strategic guidelines are provided to managers in building the brand loyalty.


Introduction
The influence of globalization and intensive efforts from media advertising makes several foreign brands popular in Asia countries (Chada & Husband, 2006). The existence of different fashion clothing brands from West to Asia is considerable topic in marketing. Having a well known brand image could assist the brand to create an uniqueness in marketplace (Aaker, 1996), encourage greater intermediary co-operation, increase the chance for further brand extension and also increase the profit margins, (Delgado-Ballester & Munuera-Aleman, 2005). Consumers nowadays are well informed and knowledgeable with more choices. It is crucial for the firms to differentiate their product in terms of brand equity (Bennett & Rundle-Thiele, 2005). According to Aaker (1991), original model of customer based brand equity involved five dimensions-brand awareness, brand associations, brand loyalty, perceived quality, and other proprietary assets. Later, Keller (1993) evaluates the brand equity in terms of two dimensions-brand awareness and brand image.
In order to build brand equity, brand image as well as brand awareness should be an important aim of marketing program of a firm. Delong et al. (2004) consider that if the consumers have knowledge about the brand, they appear to recognize the brand. In this way, managing brand image and its awareness is a great importance. It is generally approved that brand attitude and brand image are formed due to brand awareness. Only with brand awareness, consumers are likely to acquire the product. As such, brand awareness is an important factor to determine purchase intention (Macdonald & Sharp, 2000).
However, there is very limited research that considers brand awareness and brand image as combination affect on purchase intention (Lin et al., 2006). Numbers of literature have proved that perceived quality and brand awareness as pre requisite and brand loyalty as the guarantee to purchase the product (Oliver, 1997). There is still no comprehensive research has yet to investigate the relationship among the dimensions of brand equity. Therefore, the purpose of the research is to investigate the casual relationship among dimensions of brand equity (brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, and brand loyalty) and purchase intention of consumers in the context of Malaysia fashion clothing industry.

Literature Review
A basic idea of brand equity is that the power of a brand lies in the minds of consumers and what they have experienced and learned about the brand over time. Brand equity provides value for both the customer and the firm (Bagozzi et al., 1998). Brand equity is defined as a set of assets and liabilities linked to the brand, which add value to or subtract value from a product in its relationship with customers (Aaker, 1991). Aaker discovered that the value of brand equity results from five brand equity assets; brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and other proprietary brand assets. Whereas, Keller (1993) revealed brand equity as the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand and measure the brand equity based on two assets; brand awareness and brand image. Keller highlighted the importance of consumer brand knowledge which is descriptive and evaluative information about brand, and recorded in consumer memory (Keller, 2003). He further criticized that consumers are able to recognize and recall the brand image only if they are aware of the brand existence and have knowledge about the brand (Keller, 1998). As such, addressing the brand awareness alone does not explain on consumer's familiarly with the brand (Das et al., 2012). Hence brand awareness and brand image together create the brand knowledge. There is a lack of research on brand dimensions in fashion clothing context. This study proposes brand equity dimensions in fashion clothing as brand awareness, brand image, brand loyalty and perceived quality.

Brand Awareness
Brand awareness enables consumers to recognize a brand from different product category (Heding, Knudtzen & Bjerre, 2009) and assist consumers in making decision to purchase (Percy & Rossiter, 1992). Product with higher brand awareness will have a better quality assessment (Wang & Hwang, 2001) and higher market share (Lin, 2006). On the other hand, some researchers have argued that brand awareness has a significant effect on purchase intention (Macdonald & Sharp, 2000). Others have supported that knowledgeable consumers have high chances of being loyal (Parasuraman &Grewal, 2000 andWu, 2007). Consequently, following hypothesis is proposed.
H1. Brand awareness has a significant impact on perceived quality.
H2. Brand awareness has a significant impact on brand loyalty.
H3. Brand awareness has a significant impact on purchase intention

Brand Image
Brand image is described as consumers' perceptions and beliefs about the particular brand (Kotler & Keller, 2009). Through the uniqueness of brand image, consumers are able to evaluate the quality, recognize a product, reduce purchase risks, and attain the satisfaction. According to Grewal et al. (1998), when a product has strong brand image, consumers recognize it's with high quality. Similarly Rao and Monroe (1989) conclude that most of the time consumers use brand image as short-hand of quality and value expression. Several scholars claim that those brands with image are more likely to have more loyal consumers (Bennett & Rundle-Thiele, 2005). Aaker and Keller (1990) further elaborate that consumer with stronger brand image lead to develop intention to purchase. Since there is no conformity on effect of the brand image, the following hypotheses are developed.
H4. Brand Image has a significant impact on perceived quality. H5: Brand image has significant impact on brand loyalty.
H6. Brand Image has a significant impact on purchase intention.

Perceived Quality
Perceived quality is consumer judgment on added value of a product (Bhuian, 1997). Consumer evaluates product quality based on his/her previous experiences and feelings (Zeithaml, 1988). Some of these quality characteristics are innate, while others are assigned to the products. Since some quality characteristics are difficult to detect directly, other cues such as brand image and brand names become important in evaluating quality. Studies have reported that perceived quality will influence the trust and satisfaction with the brand, which in turn leads to develop brand loyalty. In addition Yee and Sidek (2008) concludes that the product quality is the most important factor that contributes to brand loyalty. However, Jones et al. (2002) argue that there is a positive relationship between perceived quality and purchase intention. Therefore, the following hypotheses are formulated.
H7. Perceived Quality has a significant impact on brand loyalty.
H8. Perceived Quality has a significant impact on purchase intention.

Brand Loyalty
Brand loyalty is the attitudes of consumer toward a brand preference of a product (Deighton et al., 1994). Brand loyal consumes do not evaluate the brand; they just make a purchase confidently (Sidek at al., 2008). Thus, it represents a repurchase commitment of potential consumers and most likely they will not switch to another brand (Oliver, 1999). Therefore, the following hypotheses are developed.
H9. Brand Loyalty has a significant impact on purchase Intention

Consumer Purchase Intention
Many people do consume different kinds of products every day, from basic needs to high-valued collectables. When consumers identify the needs of having a product, they start with searching the information about the product, then evaluate the alternatives of brand available, and finally make decision to purchase (Engel, Blackwell and Miniard, 1995). Purchase intention means a consumer has personal preference towards a certain product, and it has proven to be a significant factor to predict consumer behavior (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). Purchase intention measure the possibility of a consumer to buy a product, and the higher the purchase intention is, the higher a consumer's willingness is to buy a product (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000). According to Kimery & McCord (2000), measuring consumer purchasing behavior is difficult and as such it is often predicted by purchase intention. Thus, Zeithaml (1988) recommend intended to buy, possible to buy and considered to buy as measurement items to purchase intention.

Conceptual Framework
Brand equity has been known as a valuable source of competitive advantage. It results from the consumer's perception of overall superiority of a particular product (Belch & Belch, 2009). It measures everything that exists in the minds of customers with respect to a brand (Keller and Donald, 2003). Such measures of consumer-based brand equity have received substantial attention in both academia as well as industry. One of the most widely used models today is customer-based brand equity model by Keller (1993). Keller proposes brand knowledge as fundamental brand equity and explains brand knowledge in terms of brand awareness and brand image. Where as Aaker (1996) also proposes an brand equity model which contains five mindset measures: brand awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand associations and other proprietary assets such as patents, trademarks and channel relationships. These two models are frequently and separately used to apply in marketing and consumer behavior research (Kim, et al., 2008& Yasin, et al., 2007. Although these two models are widely recognized, there is still no conformity on dimensions to measure the brand equity. Up to the author knowledge, there is no research that considers both brand awareness and brand image as measures to brand equity. As such, this research proposes four dimensions that measure the brand equity. These are brand image, brand awareness, perceived quality and brand loyalty. While brand awareness and brand image are the most significant factors that contribute to purchase intention (Macdonald & Sharp, 2000), perceived quality is also the essential element and brand loyalty is guarantee of purchase and repurchase (Oliver, 1997). The model illustrated in figure 1 provides conceptual framework for this research. www.ccsen

Discussion and Managerial Applications
The findings reveal that brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, and brand loyalty are the dimensions of brand equity. It further proved that there is a casual relationship among the dimensions of brand equity and each dimension has special affect on purchase intention of Malaysian consumers in fashion industry. Brand loyalty has stronger impact on purchase intention, subsequently followed by perceived quality, brand image and brand awareness.
The result reflects the past literature that stress on band loyalty as critical success factor to consumer purchase intention (Kandampully &Suhartanto, 2000 andBennett &Rundle-Thiele, 2004). It is also discovered that compare to brand image and brand awareness; perceived quality has strongest impact on brand loyalty. This finding however does not reflect to past findings which revealed that brand image is one of the causes for attitudinal brand loyalty (Back, 2005;Flavián et al., 2006;Kandampully & Hu, 2007). The results further prove that compare to brand awareness, brand image has stronger impact on perceived quality. As mentioned in previous literature, brand image become unique offering in highly competitive market place and the last source of differentiation (Lim & O'Cass, 2001). This study contribute the original model of customer based brand equity developed by Aaker (1991) and recommend that brand image should be included as one of the assets to measure the brand equity.
Overall, present study confirms the casual relationship among the dimensions of brand equity and interestingly perceived quality rather than brand image has stronger impact on brand loyalty and brand loyalty rather than perceived quality has stronger impact on purchase intention. Importantly, there is no insignificant relationship among the dimensions of brand equity and thus this study provided guidelines to academicians and managers. Thus, it can be suggested that retailers should develop the effective marketing communication program that create the brand image to realize the quality of the brand. In the meanwhile, retailers should design the attractive loyalty program that motivates the customer towards purchase intention.

Limitations and Future Research
Based on the Aaker's (1996) and Keller's (1993) brand equity model, this study propose a model that explains the causal relationship among the dimensions of consumer based brand equity with purchase intention which has been neglected by most of the previous researchers. Therefore, further research is needed to explore the casual relationship among the dimensions of brand equity, which could establish a modest and stable brand equity model that can be applicable in fashion industry. Besides, the sample was limited between the ages of 18 to 40. Further research should look into wider age group and examine the significant of the age group regarding the relationship among the dimensions of brand equity.