Brand loyalty is defined as positive feelings towards a brand and dedication to purchase the same

product or service repeatedly now and in the future from the same brand, regardless of a
competitors actions or changes in the environment. It can also be demonstrated with other
behaviours such as positive word of mouth advocacy. Brand loyalty is where an individual buys
products from the same manufacturer repeatedly rather than from other suppliers.[1] Businesses
whose value rests in a large part on their brand loyalty are said to use the loyalty business model.
A brand is seen as an idea or concept, not a product.[2] This concept of a brand displays imagery
and symbolism for a product or range of products. Brands can have the power to engage
consumers and make them feel emotionally attached.[2] Consumers beliefs and attitudes make
up brand images, and these affect how they will view brands they come into contact with [3]).
Brand experience occurs when consumers shop for or search for, and consume products.[4]
Holistic experiences such as sense, relation, acting and feeling occur when one comes into
contact with brands. The stronger and more relational these senses are to the individual, the more
for likely repeat purchase behaviour will occur. After contact has been made, psychological
reasoning will occur, followed by a buy or not-buy decision. This can result in repeat purchase
behaviour, thus incurring the beginning of brand loyalty.[5] Brand loyalty is not limited to repeat
purchase behaviour, as there is deeper psychological reasoning as to why an individual will
continuously re-purchase products from one brand. Brand loyalty can be shortly defined as the
behavioural willingness to consistently maintain relations with a particular brand [6] In a
survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 68 percent responded that they found the
"loyalty" metric very useful.[7]

True brand loyalty occurs when consumers are willing to pay higher prices for a certain brand,
go out of their way for the brand, or think highly of it.
Factors influencing brand loyalty

It has been suggested[who?] that loyalty includes some degree of pre-dispositional commitment
toward a brand. Brand loyalty is viewed as multidimensional construct. It is determined by
several distinct psychological processes and it entails multivariate measurements. Customers'
perceived value, brand trust, customers' satisfaction, repeat purchase behavior, and commitment
are found to be the key influencing factors of brand loyalty. Commitment and repeated purchase
behavior are considered as necessary conditions for brand loyalty followed by perceived value,
satisfaction, and brand trust.[23] Fred Reichheld,[24] One of the most influential writers on
brand loyalty, claimed that enhancing customer loyalty could have dramatic effects on
profitability. However, new research shows that the association between customer loyalty and
financial outcomes such as firm profitability and stock-market outcomes is not as straightforward
as was once believed.[25] Many firms may overspend on customer loyalty, and then do not reap
the intended benefits. Among the benefits from brand loyalty specifically, longer tenure or
staying as a customer for longer was said to be lower sensitivity to price. This claim had not
been empirically tested until recently. Recent research[26] found evidence that longer-term
customers were indeed less sensitive to price increases. Byron Sharp showed empirically that
behaviour affects attitudinal response not the other way round. Longer term customers are less
sensitive because it is harder for them to completely stop using the brand.[27]

The ability of an organization to attract and retain customers is vital to its success. Customer
loyalty requires a strong appetite by the customer for a product. Marketing tools such as
integrated marketing communications (IMC) and branding can be used in ways to increase
perceived attraction between the consumer and the brand. These tools are used to boost
emotional response and attachment to the brand, as well as to influence feelings the customer has
for a brand, both are important for congruency and a relationship, this in turn leads to the
development of brand loyalty. Relationship development and maintenance can also be achieved
through the use of loyalty programs or a celebrity endorser. These can help to increase a bond
between a brand and a consumer (Pauwels-delassus & Mogos Descotes, 2013).

IMC is defined as integrating a variety of convincing messages across various forms to

communicate with and develop relationships with customers. (Lazarevic, 2012). IMC can be
used to convey the brand image, increase awareness, build brand equity, and achieve shared
values between the consumer and the brand.

IMC and brand loyalty IMC and branding are both relevant marketing tools for increasing the
brand loyalty of consumers. The decisions made around communications and branding should be
based on solid and factual market research about the consumers. If the brand or the IMC do not
seem to be relevant to the target market, consumers will not pay attention. An example of this is
that high customization, creativity and a more direct voice is recommended for messages
directed towards generation Y consumers as generation Y want to be treated differently from the
rest of the market and marketers should acknowledge this (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015).

Loyalty programs help to reward and encourage customers, which is a necessary factor for
customers to want to repurchase. The consumer should feel a connection with the brand to want
repeat purchase and portray other brand loyalty behaviours such as positive word of mouth. A
loyalty program is an integrated system of marketing actions that aims to make member
customers more loyal to a brand (Melnyk & Bijmolt, 2015). The main goal of a loyalty program
is to create or enhance customer loyalty towards a brand whilst being sustained even after a
loyalty program is discontinued. Thus, to an extent a lo