Interaction between brand trust and customer brand engagement as a determinant of brand equity

The objective of this study is to examine the role of brand trust and customer brand engagement (CBE) in determining brand equity. Built on the customer relationship marketing theory, we propose that brand trust has a significant relationship with customer brand engagement, which in turn determines the brand equity for a brand. Based on the data collected from 423 mall shoppers at different brand outlets, the proposed framework was tested by using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results reveal that there is a significant and positive relationship between the proposed constructs. All the hypotheses were supported except for the impact of cognitive processing on brand equity. The study concludes with the managerial implications and issues for future research.