Establishing the relationship between halal brand personality and brand loyalty: the moderating effect of social media among millennials’ modest fashion consumers in Malaysia / Muhamad Izzuddin Zainudin

This research analyzed Malaysia Millennials modest fashion consumers’ brand loyalty. Two issues highlighted in this research are the challenges face by modest fashion brands in Malaysia to survive in the market and creating consumers’ brand loyalty and the effectiveness of social media as a platform of communication between modest fashion brands and their consumers in creating brand loyalty. In order to address both of the first issue, the concept of Halal brand personality which consists of five dimensions (purity, excitement, safety, sophistication and righteousness) was introduced as independent variables to attract consumers’ brand loyalty. Next, social media was taken as the moderating variable to measure its effectiveness as a communication platform in strengthening the relationship of Halal brand personality and brand loyalty. Quantitative approach using self-administered questionnaires with 5-point Likert scale was distributed to 400 respondents who were female Malaysian Millennials modest fashion consumers. Purposive sampling was chosen because probability sampling criteria cannot meet. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 to test the reliability, validity leading to hypothesis testing. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) was conducted to examine the direct relationship between Halal brand personality as independent variables and brand loyalty as the dependent variable. Hierarchical multiple regression (HRA) was then conducted to check the interactive effects and moderating effects of social media on the equation. This study revealed that three out of five Halal brand personality dimensions namely excitement, sophistication and righteousness have significant relationship with brand loyalty. However, social media was found to be insignificant moderator to Halal brand personality and brand loyalty. As a conclusion, the researcher suggested for modest fashion marketers to include three significant Halal brand personality dimensions as part of their marketing strategy and shift their focus to other traditional media or combination of both traditional and new media in order to attract their consumers’ brand loyalty. This research contributes to both practical and theoretical implications by identifying new framework to be used by the marketers in creating Millennials modest fashion consumers’ brand loyalty and to academician by adding new body of knowledge to Islamic marketing and branding field.