1. University of Hertfordshire Business School
MSc Marketing
Strategic Brand Love Management: A conceptual model to monitor
consumer – brand love relationships based on interpersonal love styles
Author: Deniz Kurugollu
Student No: 10283502
Supervisor: Neil Godfrey
Submission Date: 22nd September 2011
Ethics Number: BS/P/105-9/11
Final Word Count: 14788
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

2. Abstract
The notion of love in marketing has been shown to attract attention recently. Studies have
proposed the use of interpersonal relationship analogy to develop the understanding of the
relationship between consumers and brands. It has been acknowledged that consumers may
have feelings of love towards consumption objects, including brands. However, many have
investigated similar concepts such as brand passion, emotional attachment, devotion, and so
forth in the name of love. Fewer researches have adhered to the interpersonal love theories
directly. This present study mainly combines the interpersonal love styles from two different
theories. In line with marketers’ desire to form close consumer-brand relations so as to sustain
profitability, an interpersonal love-based conceptual model (map) from an all-inclusive
standpoint is proposed so as to produce valuable insight for marketers to understand, develop,
enhance, and maintain their corresponding marketing/branding efforts. BlackBerry and
iPhone are chosen for the present study. Primary research to test the proposed model is
conducted through the netnography study and online survey. Data are collected from 260
students, studying in the University of Hertfordshire, UK during the academic year 2010-
2011. Factor analysis and relevant techniques are applied to the given data. Findings show
that interpersonal love analogy provides with a comprehensive explanation and interpretation
opportunity for consumer-brand relationships. In particular, results reveal that BlackBerry
love is different from iPhone love. Both brands have strongly loyal lovers. However, the basis
of loyalty appears to be different. iPhone lovers are more passionately committed to their
phones, whereas BlackBerry lovers seem to be more pragmatic. These results based on the
proposed model suggest relevant implications for managers as well as further studies on this
particular scope of marketing. This paper reviews theoretical and practical perspectives in
more details through the proposed brand love model.
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

3. Table of Contents
Abstract...............................................................................................................2
List of Figures & Tables .....................................................................................6
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................7
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................9
1.2. Research questions and objectives .................................................................9
1.3. How this paper is organized .........................................................................10
CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND
2.1. Consumer decision making process.............................................................. 13
2.2. Consumers are irrational ..............................................................................15
2.3. Emotions in marketing/branding ..................................................................16
2.4. Why emotions? ............................................................................................ 19
2.5. What is ‘emotion’ by the way? .....................................................................20
2.6. Why love? ...................................................................................................20
CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW
3.1. Introduction .................................................................................................24
3.2. Love towards a brand ................................................................................... 24
3.3. Conceptual background ............................................................................... 27
3.3.1. Triangular theory of love ..........................................................................27
3.3.1.1. Intimacy .................................................................................................28
3.3.1.2. Passion...................................................................................................29
3.3.1.3. Decision/Commitment ...........................................................................30
3.3.1.4. Intimacy + Passion + Commitment = Consummate love ........................ 31
3.3.2. Styles of loving ......................................................................................... 31
3.3.2.1. Triangular Theory of Love + Styles of loving ........................................33
3.3.3. Lovemarks ............................................................................................... 33
3.4. Triangular Theory of Love + Styles of Loving + Lovemarks ........................ 34
3.4.1. Product zone ............................................................................................. 34
3.4.1.1. Liking ....................................................................................................34
3.4.1.2. Empty love = Pragma & Agape .............................................................. 36
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

4. 3.4.2. Fads zone ..................................................................................................37
3.4.2.1. Infatuated love = Ludus .........................................................................37
3.4.2.2. Fatuous love = Mania .............................................................................37
3.4.3. Brands zone .............................................................................................. 38
3.4.3.1. Romantic love = Eros.............................................................................38
3.4.3.2. Companionate Love = Storge .................................................................39
3.4.4. Lovemarks zone ........................................................................................ 39
3.4.4.1. Consummate love .................................................................................. 39
3.5. The proposed conceptual model (map) ......................................................... 39
CHAPTER 4: METHODS OF INVESTIGATION
4. Research design .............................................................................................. 42
4.1. Exploratory research .................................................................................... 43
4.1.1. Secondary research ................................................................................... 43
4.1.2. Primary research ....................................................................................... 43
4.1.2.1. Qualitative research ............................................................................... 44
4.1.2.1.1. Netnography study ..............................................................................44
4.1.2.2. Quantitative research..............................................................................45
4.1.2.2.1. Sampling ............................................................................................. 45
4.1.2.2.2. Data collection method........................................................................48
4.1.2.2.2.1. Survey .............................................................................................. 48
4.1.2.2.2.2. Survey instrument ............................................................................48
4.1.2.2.3. Data collection form ...........................................................................49
4.1.2.2.3.1. Online Questionnaire ........................................................................49
4.1.2.2.3.2. Survey monkey ................................................................................ 50
CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS & FINDINGS
5.1. Netnography study ....................................................................................... 53
5.2. Survey ........................................................................................................54
5.3. Preparing the data ........................................................................................ 55
5.4. Descriptive analysis ..................................................................................... 55
5.5. Factor analysis ............................................................................................. 55
5.6. Reliability analysis for factors ......................................................................57
5.7. Mean index ..................................................................................................59
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

5. CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION
6.1. From the theoretical perspective ..................................................................61
6.2. From the practical perspective .....................................................................64
6.3. BlackBerry vs. iPhone ................................................................................. 65
CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1. Conclusion ..................................................................................................68
7.2. Recommendations ....................................................................................... 70
CHAPTER 8: PERSONAL REFLECTION
8.1. Think ............................................................................................................ 73
8.2. Read ↔ Expose: Analytical preparation ....................................................... 75
8.3. Thinking and reading are not enough ............................................................ 77
8.4. Dream........................................................................................................... 77
8.5. Borrow – Organize ....................................................................................... 78
8.6. Incubation ↔ Illumination ............................................................................ 79
8.7. Create ........................................................................................................... 80
8.8. Evaluation .................................................................................................... 80
8.9. The end ......................................................................................................... 81
References ........................................................................................................... 82
Appendices
Appendix 1: Differences between exploratory and conclusive research ................. 89
Appendix 2: Love statements (items) .................................................................... 90
Appendix 3: Questionnaire ................................................................................... 92
Appendix 4: The analysed comments: iPhone vs. BlackBerry .............................. 93
Appendix 5: Factor & Reliability Analysis for Love Statements ......................... 102
Appendix 6: Dissertation Proposal ...................................................................... 113
Appendix 7: Dissertation Log ............................................................................. 120
Appendix 8: Ethics Form .................................................................................... 124
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

6. List of Figures
Figure 1: Consumer decision making process ..................................................... 13
Figure 2: Functional realm vs. Emotional realm .................................................. 17
Figure 3: Low involvement vs. High involvement ..............................................18
Figure 4: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs .............................................................. 22
Figure 5: Intimacy in consumption context ......................................................... 28
Figure 6: Lovemarks Theory............................................................................... 34
Figure 7: The proposed conceptual model (map)................................................. 40
Figure 8: The research map................................................................................. 42
Figure 9: Sampling design .................................................................................. 46
Figure 10: Target population............................................................................... 46
Figure 11: Relationship between Intimacy, Trust, and Commitment ................... 62
Figure 12: The model of consumer – phone brand love .......................................63
Figure 13: BlackBerry vs. iPhone .......................................................................65
Figure 14: The reflection schema ........................................................................73
List of Tables
Table 1: Examples of previous studies ................................................................ 25
Table 2: Stenberg’s Triangular Theory of Love .................................................. 27
Table 3: Descriptions of Lee’s Love Styles ......................................................... 32
Table 4: Integration of the theories .....................................................................35
Table 5: Examples of posted comments .............................................................. 53
Table 6: Summary of the sample based on frequencies and percentages ..............56
Table 7: The results of factor analysis and scale reliability .................................58
Table 8: Mean index ........................................................................................... 59
Table 9: The reflection table ............................................................................... 75
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

7. Table 4: Integration of the theories
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

8. The conceptual model
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)

9. Table 9: The reflection table
Four phases of
Dissertation structure What can one do about thinking? creativity
Literature Review Expose (collect information) Analytical preparation
Borrow (ideas from others) Incubation
Organize (categorize, classify, identify) Illumination
Analysis Process (statistics, maths, etc)
Findings & Discussion Organize (categorize, identify, interpret) Evaluation
Conclusion Clarify (tables, lists, diagrams, etc)
Source: de Bono (1971), Schmitt (1999)
o Looked at my personal attitudes as a consumer towards brands
o Experienced the entire process from the beginning to the end
o Asked why and what if questions
o Reviewed previous studies, cross-referenced my knowledge
o Numbers: produced quantitative empirical results
University of Hertfordshire Dissertation (2011)