A study on the comparison of brand personali̇ty and user image in luxury segment at the automotive sector

Firms have to compete with many competitors due to the rapid and constant changes in market dynamics. Brand concepts have become the most influential powers that are in the hands of enterprises following the emerging similarities in product characteristics due to the development of technology. Enterprises want to be ahead of their competitors and assert their differences on consumers. For this reason, firms have started to structure their differentiation and positioning strategies depending on symbols, emotions and other meanings. The decrease in the differences between brands despite the marked increase of branded products makes the concept of brand personality very important. A bond between the brand and the user is forged by associating the brand with personalities that people will embrace. The aim of this research is to examine how brand personality is perceived by the users of X and Y, the two closest rival brands in the upper segment, as well as whether or not user images differentiate between two groups. The main population of the study is comprised of Y and X users residing in the Istanbul province. Quota sampling method from non-probability sampling methods was used in the study due to the time and cost constraints. Data were collected by face-to-face survey method. As a result of the study, it was observed that the most important aspect of the X brand personality is formed by the dimension of Sincerity and Enthusiasm while the most important aspect of the brand personality for Y is formed by the dimension of Enthusiasm. Autonomy is the most important feature of the associated group within the X user image whereas the most important feature within the Y user image is the close relationship / superiority concept. Only the features of leadership, honest and sincerity of Y brand personality is placed above X in a meaningful manner, while X was found to be significantly ahead of Y in the context of all brand personality aspects of originality, joy, friendliness, courage, fashinoable, exciting, humorous, cool, young, imaginative contemporary, intelligent, technical, sportive and having western values. It has been found that the user image of the Y brand scores higher on the concepts of "attacking opposing views" and "will retaliate if humiliated, insulted or scorned" compared to the user image of X brand. It is believed that the obtained findings will both contribute to the literature and provide a competitive advantage for brand management by promoting dominant brand personalities and using the better analyses of target audience through user image features within promotional activities. Key Words: Brand, Brand Personality, User Image, Luxury Consumption