Store brands role in creating customer loyalty around the uses and gratifications theory framework within the retail brand communication process

Mass media have great effect to reach main consumption target of human beings. The tremendous number of retail points are the signs of the consumption. The communication that retailers establish with the consumers and the store brands as the outcome of this communication are the main research topics of this dissertation. This research in which "brand" is considered as a communication mean, the impact generated by the gratifications of the store brands is analyzed around the framework of the uses and the gratifications theory on the loyalty behavior. Structural equation modelling is used for the statistical analysis. Survey study conducted in Istanbul with 601 participants who do store brand shopping in the four chain stores operating in Istanbul (BİM, Migros, Carrefour, ŞOK).Focus groups are performed with a total of 25 people in 5 homogeneous groups. In the research model, the impact of the 5 dimensions of the gratifications scale attained from the use of the store brands are validated. Store brands in-store communications, promotions, inserts, advertisements and word of mouth communication channels have impact on the loyalty behavior. As for the loyalty behavior, hypotheses on the both store and store brand preferences on loyalty behavior are accepted. Consequently, through gratifications store brand preferences effects loyalty behavior. Self-actualization, which is one of the sub scales of gratifications is modeled as an feedback of this communication and this result is open to research and discussion. Key words: Brand communications, brand loyalty, the uses and the gratifications theory, store brands