Dimensions of Brand Knowledge Turkish University Students' Consumption of International Fashion Brands

Abstract

Purpose - Previous research has suggested that brand knowledge could be affected by companies and consumer characteristics such as consumer personality. The purpose of this study is to analyse the impacts of gender, field of education, and having consumed the brand, on consumers' brand knowledge. Design/methodology/approach - An exploratory study is designed to reveal the impacts of gender, field of education, and usage of a brand by evaluating Turkish university students' knowledge of nine international fashion brands. The survey is conducted by using convenience sampling method to reach a heterogeneous group of different departments, gender, and usage frequencies that would reveal whether these variables have an effect on brand knowledge or not. The students are also asked to describe each brand by two or three words. Findings - Significant differences are found with respect to usage, gender, and departments. Students belonging to the departments more related to fashion and female students have more knowledge about these nine brands. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that consumption of a brand increases both brand awareness and brand image. Research limitations/implications - Future studies could analyse brands by grouping them in accordance with their target segments and product types in order to compare them more strictly. It is also purposeful to compare the brand knowledge of the same brands in different samples and different countries. Practical implications - Since brand associations are used in positioning, the results of the open-ended questions advise firms operating marketing activities whether to strengthen or to alter these associations. Originality/value - The study could be beneficial for academicians and business practitioners, since it reveals the effects of gender, field of education, and usage on brand knowledge.