My Brand Identity Lies in the Brand Name: Personified Suggestive Brand Names

This research introduces personified suggestive brand names, the degree to which a brand name (1) defines a potential user of the brand or (2) portrays personal characteristics that are used by the consumer to anthropomorphize the brand. Results of four experiments show that consumers are more likely to form brand relationships and more favorable brand evaluations towards more (e.g., Smart), compared to less (e.g., Technical), personified suggestive brand names, because (i) they form a self-brand name connection with these brand names to present themselves to others and (ii) they humanize the brand via these brand names. Additionally, personified suggestive brand names lead to self-brand name connections that result in brand anthropomorphism, which leads to favorable branding outcomes, particularly among Relational Interdependent Self-construal consumers, who are more likely to incorporate their relationships on their self-definitions.