Analysis of Brand Identity and Brand Culture on Purchasing Decisions with the Mediating Role of Creating Emotional Connection with the Customer and the Moderating Role of Social Media

Abstract
Today, there is a need to examine various factors affecting consumers' purchasing decisions. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the impact of brand identity and brand culture on purchasing decisions with the mediating role of creating an emotional connection with the customer and the moderating role of social media.This study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational survey in terms of method and nature. The statistical population of the study included all customers of stores in Ardabil city. According to the Cochran formula for unlimited communities, 384 people were selected as a sample. These people were selected from the statistical population by simple random method and the research questionnaire was distributed among them. The validity of the questionnaire was examined and confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis and reliability was determined by Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling and using two software programs: SPSS 26 and Smart-PLS 3. Based on the research findings, brand identity has a positive and significant effect on purchasing decisions and creating an emotional connection with the customer. Brand culture also has a positive and significant effect on purchasing decisions and creating an emotional connection with the customer. Also, creating an emotional connection with the customer has a positive and significant effect on purchasing decisions. In addition, emotional connection with the customer plays a mediating role in the relationship between brand identity and purchasing decisions as well as brand culture and purchasing decisions.
Introduction
Consumer purchase decisions regarding a product (service) are fundamentally related to consumer behavior. Consumer behavior is an important component in marketing activities for a product that companies need to recognize. The trend of the influence of location, price, and service quality on consumer purchase decisions indicates that company management should consider aspects of consumer behavior, especially the purchase decision-making process (Ridwan, 2022: 2). The term consumer purchase decision creates an image of an individual who carefully evaluates the characteristics of a set of products, brands, or services and rationally selects one to satisfy a clearly identified need at the lowest possible cost. Consumers make many decisions in this way. However, many other decisions require little conscious effort. Furthermore, many consumer decisions are not focused on brand attributes, but on feelings or emotions associated with the purchase or use of the brand or the situation in which the product is purchased or consumed (Song, 2016: 50). Consumer decision-making is a complex process with many factors influencing the purchase decision. Consumers learn about products from various sources such as media, family, friends (word-of-mouth recommendation), data and their own experiences. Identifying consumer decision-making styles is an important topic in marketing, as it provides marketers with insight into consumer characteristics and is the basis for consumer segmentation (Masumiyan, 2018: 72). Meanwhile, consumers’ decisions to purchase one brand over another have important implications for marketing and product manufacturers, and failure to understand these influences will have negative effects on the market and company expansion. (Choubey & Sharma, 2023: 1)
Materials and Methods
The present study aims to analyze the effect of brand identity on purchasing decisions with the role of mediating emotional relationship with the customer. This study is an applied research in terms of its purpose and a descriptive-correlational research in terms of its method. The statistical population of the study is all customers of Ardabil stores who have visited for shopping. For sampling, simple random sampling method was used and to determine the sample size, the Cochran formula was used. Considering the unlimited size of the statistical population, the sample size was determined to be 384 people. Information and data were collected through library studies (sources such as articles) and field methods (using questionnaires).The reliability of the questionnaires was examined and confirmed by composite reliability and Cronbach's alpha. Composite reliability (values ​​greater than 0.7) is a measure of the internal fit of the model, which is calculated by the degree of consistency of the questions related to the measurement of each factor. Cronbach's alpha index measures the simultaneous loading of latent variables when an explicit variable is increased. The value of this index is between 0 and 1. All Cronbach's alpha values ​​were also greater than 0.7. The validity of the questionnaires was also examined and confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis.
Data analysis
An examination of the demographic characteristics of the statistical sample shows that 197 (51.3%) of the respondents were male and 187 (48.7%) were female. Also, 20 (5.2%) of the respondents were under 20 years of age, 239 (62.2%) were between 20 and 29 years of age, 99 (25.8%) were between 30 and 39 years of age, and 26 (6.8%) were between 40 and 49 years of age. Examining the characteristics of the respondents in terms of education also shows that 21 people (5.5%) had a diploma or lower, 47 people (12.2%) had a post-diploma degree, 78 people (20.3%) had a bachelor's degree, 202 people (52.6%) had a master's degree, and 36 people (9.4%) had a doctorate degree.
Structural Model Fit
In order to examine the fit of the structural model, two criteria R² and Q² are used. R² measures the proportion of the variance of the dependent variable around its mean that is explained by the independent variable(s). Values ​​of approximately 0.67 are considered strong, values ​​of approximately 0.33 are considered moderate, and values ​​of 0.19 and below are considered weak (Kante et al., 2018: 62). Q² explains the relative impact of the predictor relationship with values ​​of 0.02, 0.15, and 0.35, which represent its small, medium, and large values ​​(Suhan et al., 2018: 44). In Table 2, both of these measures have acceptable and appropriate values.
Conclusion
Brand identity plays a fundamental role in customers' purchasing decisions because it shapes their perceptions and feelings about the brand. A brand with a strong and coherent identity creates a sense of trust in customers and helps customers to be less hesitant when making a purchase. Also, in a market where there are many similar products, brand identity helps a product to stand out, and customers often choose a brand that has a clear, unique identity that fits their lifestyle. When customers are familiar with a brand identity (colors, logo, font, slogans, etc.), a sense of familiarity and trust is created. Customers are also usually attracted to brands that share similar values. Or brands that have meaningful and inspiring stories establish a deep emotional relationship with customers. In addition, brand identity can create specific emotions in customers through sensory experiences. In general, brand identity can be used as a tool to engage customers’ emotions and make them loyal to the brand.Therefore, if a brand can demonstrate an authentic identity that is aligned with its values, customers are more likely to stick with it and make their decisions based on it. Also, a strong brand identity can lead customers to make impulse purchases. In fact, the deep emotional relationship that is formed with consumers often leads to emotional purchases. Finally, when customers feel an emotional attachment to a brand with a strong identity, they are more likely to recommend it to others, which can influence the purchasing decisions of others.