Author(s): Dolnapa Tumwattana and Thongchai Srivardhana
This research aims to study the relationship between Multiple Self-congruencies (MSC), Brand Passion (BP) and Customer Citizenship Behavior (CCB). The authors used the Structural Equation Model to test the effects on the relationship of MSC on BP and CCB, where BP acted as the mediator to the relationship between MSC and CCB. The samples for this research consisted of LeTAO Thailand’s customers who are fans of the LeTAO Thailand Facebook page. The total of 530 survey samples were obtained online and at two LeTAO Cafés. The results of the fitted Structural Equation Model were chi-square = 4,888.4, p-value less than 0.0000. The result was significant at p < 0.05. The fit indices was CMIN/DF =2.680, CFI = 0.948, GFI = 0.803, NFI = 0.919, RFI = 0.912, TLI = 0.943, IFI = 0.948 and RMSEA = 0.056. MSC measured the different aspects adapted from the customer-centric model of the social media-based brand community by McAlexander et al. (2002). The aspects include product, brand, other customers and celebrity to determine effective levels at factor loadings with p-value< 0.001. The results revealed Self and Product Congruence = 0.994, Self and Brand Congruence = 0.983, Self and Other Consumer Congruence = 0.913, and Self and Celebrity Congruence = 0.818. The research revealed that marketing strategies should build a relationship between customer’s self and elements of the brand effect BP and CCB, with a standardized value = 0.641 and 0.665 at pvalue < 0.001. The relationship between MSC and CCB showed both direct and indirect effects with BP is a mediator. The standardized value of positive direct effect was 0.230 and the standardized indirect effect value was 0.435, respectively at p-value < 0.001. BP also had a positive direct effect on CCB with the standardized value of 0.678 at p-value < 0.001. The research implies that companies must develop a community with communication strategies that tie customers to the elements of the brand. This allows customers to become passionate about the brand and become citizens of the brand instead of just loyal customers.