Determination of brand personality dimensions for a laptop computer using AAKER’s brand personality scale

Abstract

This research was conducted to (i) identify brand personality dimensions of a laptop computer amongst computer science students; (ii) examine significant differences in the brand personality dimensions of the laptop according to the students’ background of gender, brand owned, year of study and programs; and (iii) examine the relationship between perceived brand personality of the laptop and its quality rating. The measurement of brand personality was based on the Aaker’s Brand Personality Scale. A total of 268 questionnaires were gathered from computer science students in a Malaysian public university using Stratified Random Sampling method. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to validate the measurement. The findings revealed that sincerity was ‘the human characteristic’ that users of the laptop associated themselves with the brand. Ruggedness was a brand personality that non-users associated themselves with the laptop. Significant means differences were observed in the brand personality dimensions of the laptop according to the students’ gender, present year of study and academic program. For users of the laptop, sincerity and modern of the brand personality dimensions were positively correlated with the brand quality rating. For non-users, a positive correlation existed between ruggedness, diligent and modern of the brand personality with the brand quality rating. Several implications were drawn based on the results of the research to enhance branding strategies of the laptop and for future researches.