The Effects of Self-Branding on Brand Loyalty with the Visa Card Banking Services in Cambodia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajebi.v5i2.7818Keywords:
Brand Loyalty, Brand Trust, Self-Brand Congruity, Self-Brand Connection, Self-Express ValueAbstract
This study aims to examine the relationships among self-brand congruity, self-express value, self-brand connection, brand trust, and brand loyalty in the context of credit card users. The primary objective is to investigate how individual client perceptions of brand-self alignment influence trust and loyalty toward credit card brands. In an increasingly competitive financial market in Cambodia, brand loyalty is a major challenge for credit card service companies. Despite heavy marketing investments, many clients might switch brands due to weak emotional connections and a lack of trust. Understanding the client’s psychological and identity-related factors that shape long-term loyalty is, therefore, an essential investigation. This research integrates three self-related constructs—self-brand congruity, self-express value, and self-brand connection—into a single structural framework, analyzing the direct and indirect effects on credit card brand trust and brand loyalty. Few previous studies have simultaneously investigated these interrelations in the credit service industries, especially within emerging markets. This manuscript employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collection from 231 credit card users in different bank brands in Cambodia. The model tested six hypotheses (H1-H6) concerning the mediating role of brand trust in the relationship between self-related variables and brand loyalty. Results revealed that self-brand congruity, self-express value, and self-brand connection significantly influence brand trust, which in turn strongly predicts brand loyalty. Brand trust plays a crucial role as a mediator linking self-related constructs to brand loyalty. The findings indicated the importance of identity-based marketing strategies in boosting brand trust and sustaining long-term loyalty among potential credit card users in Cambodia.
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