The Effect of Service Authenticity on Brand Resonance: Roles of Memorable Customer Experience and Self-Image Congruity

Abstract

Nostalgia is a major marketing tool in the hospitality industry; however, few scholars have investigated how nostalgic hotel service authenticity affects customer attitudes and behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between nostalgic hotel service authenticity and brand resonance and examine the mediating effect of memorable customer experience and the moderating effect of self-image congruity on this association. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 473 customers of nostalgic hotels in Taiwan, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that service authenticity positively affected memorable customer experience and memorable customer experience positively affected brand resonance. In addition, memorable customer experience mediated the association between service authenticity and brand resonance, and self-image congruity enhanced the positive association between service authenticity and memorable customer experience, thereby strengthening brand resonance. This study contributes to the understanding of nostalgic hotel service authenticity and brand resonance by identifying the factors that drive brand resonance and the boundary conditions involved. Gaining a comprehensive understanding how service authenticity affects brand resonance, as well as recognizing the mediating and moderating roles played by memorable customer experience and self-image congruity, respectively, can help nostalgic hotel managers effectively plan their physical environments and devise nostalgia-oriented marketing strategies. By understanding customers’ psychological traits and how they relate to self-image congruity, hotels can create memorable customer experiences and foster brand resonance in customers.