The impacts of brand personality and congruity on purchase intention : Evidence from the Chinese mainland's automobile market

This study focuses on comparison of the importance of product-brand personality and importance of company-brand personality characteristics as well as on investigation of product-/company-brand congruity and self-image congruence on purchase intention, within the context of Chinese Mainland's automobile industry. Results reveal that product-brand personality is more significant in affecting purchase intention than company-brand personality. Furthermore, it is found that congruity between product-brand personality and company-brand personality acts as a moderating variable between product-/company-brand personality and purchase intention. Of equal importance, it is found that self-image congruence with product-/company-brand personality positively affects purchase intention, at a statistically significant level, and plays a moderating role between product-/company-brand personality and purchase intention. Implications for research, as well as for business practices, are discussed.