A study on the effect of brand evangelism on building brand loyalty

This study holds unique value as one of the research efforts examining the impact of brand evangelism in the process of building brand loyalty. The literature contains studies related to concepts such as brand love, brand trust, word-of-mouth communication, brand dependency, and brand image that are associated with brand loyalty and brand evangelism. However, the impact of brand evangelism on the formation of brand loyalty has been overlooked. This thesis aims to address this gap by investigating the effects of consumers defending the brand as brand evangelists and recommending it to others on the formation of brand loyalty, thereby providing a significant contribution to the literature. The primary objective of the study is to analyze the role of brand evangelism in building brand loyalty. In this context, the concepts of brand loyalty and brand evangelism have been theoretically addressed, and the relationships between these two concepts have been examined in light of previous studies in the literature. The research aims to demonstrate that brand evangelism is an important factor in increasing brand loyalty. The research was conducted in Afyonkarahisar province using face-to-face and online survey methods, analyzing data from 480 participants. The survey form included participants' demographic information, as well as statements related to brand loyalty and brand evangelism. The obtained data were evaluated using correlation and regression analyses, supporting the effect of brand evangelism on brand loyalty with numerical data. The research findings indicate that brand evangelism has a positive and significant effect on brand loyalty. This result shows that brand evangelists can play an effective role in increasing consumers' loyalty to the brand. In particular, the positive perceptions and strong advocacy tendencies of brand evangelists emerge as a determining factor in the process of building brand loyalty. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of brand evangelism in creating brand loyalty and suggests that brand managers develop strategies to promote brand evangelism in order to build a loyal customer base. In this respect, the study highlights the strategic value of brand evangelism in both the literature and brand management practices.