Brand Identity 1

Influence of brand identity on fan loyalty. Manchester United

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Introduction

Manchester United football club is among the most influential and well-known sports

brands. Manchester United football club's branded items are designed to attract and retain new

fans who demonstrate a long-term commitment to the team by purchasing various team-related

merchandise. Manchester United's "Thinking locally and acting globally" mentality, according to

Rees (2022), helps the team attract devoted local and global casual fans. Associating with the

club's image increases the possibility of supporters purchasing their items; businesses such as

Adidas and Chevrolet seek to do the same. The brands of professional football teams are among

the most well-known in the world. They have a close emotional link with their fans, who all love

Manchester United.

Manchester United football club is perceived as one of the most successful in English

history, with its headquarters in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. Over 136 years of existence

in English history, with its base, the club mentioned above has achieved a total of 66 trophies,

which notably includes a record of 20 English Battle titles. Moreover, it is recognised worldwide

for its achievements in prestigious tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League and FIFA

Club World Cup (Maderer and Holtbrugge, 2019), his achievement is geared toward its

worldwide community of 659 million supporters across the globe.

Literature review

According to Suhaemi (2021), brand love refers to the level of emotional attachment that

consumer experiences towards a specific brand, which is coupled with their satisfaction with the

brand. Whang et al. propose that conducting empirical research to validate the concept of brand

love is crucial for enhancing brand loyalty. The writers single out passion, possessiveness, and
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selflessness as the defining characteristics of brand love. The author concludes that brand love

entails a positive emotional response to a brand, which stems from the consumer's regular brand

usage. Matt Busby's rebuilding of the team and subsequent success in the wake of the Munich air

tragedy is often credited as the foundation of Manchester United's strong international reputation.

Denis Law, George Best, and Bobby Charlton were among the legendary players who had

previously been a part of England's World Cup-winning squad. The team's unconventional

offensive style symbolised the 1960s liberalisation of Western society, and they became national

heroes in England. The club gained significant funds by floating on the London Stock Exchange

in 1991, making it the second English football team to do so.

Evaluating the degree of an individual's loyalty to a brand by their level of affection

towards a brand or object in question is very practical. The current investigation examines the

caliber of brand relationship tactics, dedication, and loyalty on brand allegiance within franchise

dining establishments. The research findings indicate a significant association between the

emotional attachment towards a brand and the level of loyalty towards it. A positive correlation

exists between a customer's level of affection toward a product and their degree of commitment;

this suggests that the customer maintains a strong connection with the restaurant, which is the

foundation for fostering a positive and enduring relationship over time (Suhaemi, 2021); this

behavior may manifest as a manifestation of solid customer attachment, keen interest, and a deep

desire to maintain brand loyalty.

According to Jankovic and Jaksic-Stojanovic, (2019), affection toward a brand is closely

associated with the personality traits that the brand embodies. A strong personality can foster

brand affection and subsequently impact consumer brand loyalty. The empirical confirmation of

brand love is crucial in enhancing brand loyalty; this is achieved through the augmentation of
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passion, possessiveness, and altruism. Strong attitudes and motivations within an individual can

lead to greater brand loyalty, as these factors often determine the longevity of partnerships

(Jankovic, and Jaksic-Stojanovic, 2019, p.77). If consumers grow to adore and identify with a

brand, they will be more loyal to it.

According to research by Kunkel et al. (2019), brand loyalty is an erroneous act response,

specifically in purchasing behavior, exhibited by a decision-making unit within a predetermined

timeframe; this response involves selecting a preferred brand from a set of available brands and

multiple brand alternatives; and it is influenced by psychological processes associated with

decision-making. The perspective above elucidates that brand loyalty is a consumer behavior

characterised by a preference for one or more brands over other available options in the market

(Kunkel et al. 2019, p.210). The characteristic phenomenon of brand loyalty is a consumer's

propensity to select and utilise a particular brand consistently, despite numerous alternative

options. The authors conclude that customer loyalty primarily manifests through behavior, which

reflects a commitment to the company and results in a behavior change.

Research question(s)

1. 1. How does Manchester United's brand identity affect supporter fervor?

2. What is the impact of brand affection and brand character on brand allegiance?

3. How does the brand affect Manchester United fan loyalty?

The research aims and objectives.

This research investigates the impact of brand affection and character on brand

allegiance, focusing on the Manchester United Football Club fan base.

Objectives
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1. To determine the influence of Manchester United's brand identity on fan loyalty.

2. To investigate the impact of brand affection and brand character on brand allegiance.

3. To know how brands affect Manchester United fan loyalty.

Research methods

The scientific approach serves as the foundation for the comprehensive framework of a

quantitative design. It uses deductive reasoning, in which the researcher comes up with a

hypothesis, investigates the topic, and then uses the evidence from the study after the analysis

completion; this paper discusses conclusions to establish whether the idea is true or false

(Newman and Gough, 2020, p.10). Purposive sampling will identify 120 people to participate in

this current study. The next step is a test of normalcy. The collected information will then be

analysed with statistical methods and data collection tools in the form of a survey. Reliability and

validity testing, classical belief tests, analysis, and regression analysis will all be part of the

quantitative analysis process.

Approaches to Research Methods developed by scientists to collect information for

specific purposes. Research conducted using the scientific method has its rationality, empirical

evidence, and systematic approach. The study will employ quantitative strategies of an

associative nature. Selecting only those predictor variables that are indeed required and

explaining the much variance as the whole set does is the goal of this process. In a nutshell,

selection aids in establishing how significant each predictor variable is. It also helps evaluate

impacts after confounding factors are statistically accounted for. Predictor variables are chosen

based on the context of the study and the specific study questions.

Target Population
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For the sake of scientific inquiry, a population is defined as "a generalised area that

includes objects/subjects that have particular attributes and characteristics determined by

researchers." To solve research issues, the population is a collection of all components sharing a

standard set of properties across the universe. Members of the Manchester United Fan Club

constitute the sample population.

Research design

The term "research design" pertains to the comprehensive plan and analytical

methodology selected to systematically and logically incorporate various investigation elements,

guaranteeing a thorough research problem exploration. The primary purpose of a research design

is to facilitate the acquisition of evidence that enables the researcher to systematically and

coherently address the study problem with minimal ambiguity (Newman and Gough, 2020,

p.18). In the realm of social sciences research, the acquisition of pertinent information about the

research problem typically involves the identification of the specific type of evidence required to

scrutinise the basic assumptions of a framework, to appraise a program, or to precisely depict

and evaluate the significance associated with an observable phenomenon.

A study's sample will be a representative subset of the whole population. The sample is a

subset of the people selected in a fashion meant to be representative of the whole. If the

population size is unknown, the sample size calculation is done by multiplying the number of

questions by five. After conducting a validity test, a sample size of 75 participants is

substantially enough to draw reliable conclusions. The sample size is then calculated by

multiplying the number of assertions by five. The initial sample size will be 120 responders,

which will decrease to 80 after eliminating outliers.

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Data analysis

The researcher will be used brand loyalty as the dependent variable and brand love and

brand personality as the independent variables. Analysis methods will include a partial test, a

simultaneous test, and a multiple regression analysis; this type of analysis is proper when there is

a limited number of predictors to work with, and the researcher needs to know which

independent variables would yield the most accurate forecast. Each predictor evaluation is then

done as though it was added to the model after all other independent variables and based on its

unique contribution to the prediction of the dependent variable (Patel and Patel, 2019, p.50).

Ethical implications

Ethical concerns in research are overarching guidelines for how studies should be set up

and carried out. Scientists and researchers must strictly adhere to a code of conduct while

interviewing or interacting with subjects. Understanding real-world phenomena, testing out

practical solutions, analysing behavior, and improving people's quality of life are all common

reasons for doing studies with humans. Primary ethical considerations should be given to the

study issue and research methods (Pandey and Pandey, 2021).

The utilisation of data presents will provide evident advantages for individuals and

contribute to society's welfare. The research will ensure that the data subject's identity, whether it

pertains to an individual or an organisation, is guaranteed by implementing confidentiality and

security measures. Additionally, the matter of consent should be given due consideration.

Assessment of potential hazards and constraints associated with emerging technologies should be

undertaken, and appropriate levels of human supervision should be implemented to ensure that

the techniques employed adhere to established benchmarks of reliability and excellence. The
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incorporation of public perspectives should be evaluated in conjunction with the utilised data and

the perceived advantages of the investigation. There needs to be straightforward and easy

communication with the public on the openness of data access, usage, and dissemination.
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Reference list

Rees, S. (2022). Authentic Sports Branding in the Digital Age. In Cultures of Authenticity (pp.

121-135). Emerald Publishing Limited.

Jankovic, M. and Jaksic-Stojanovic, A., 2019. Challenges of sports branding. Sport Mont, 17(1),

pp.75-78.

Kunkel, T., Biscaia, R., Arai, A. and Agyemang, K., 2019. The role of self-brand connection on

the relationship between athlete brand image and fan outcomes. Journal of Sport

Management, 34(3), pp.201-216.

Maderer, D. and Holtbrügge, D., 2019. International activities of football clubs, fan attitudes, and

brand loyalty. Journal of Brand Management, 26, pp.410-425.

Newman, M. and Gough, D., 2020. Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology,

perspectives, and application. Systematic reviews in academic research: Methodology,

perspectives and application, pp.3-22.

Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research methodology tools and techniques. Bridge Center.

Patel, M. and Patel, N., 2019. I am exploring Research Methodology. International Journal of

Research and Review, 6(3), pp.48-55.

Suhaemi, M., 2021. The Effect Brand Love And Brand Personality On Brand Loyalty: Study On

Member Fans Club Football Manchester United In Indonesia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL

OF ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

(I.J.E.M.B.I.S), 1(2), pp.209-218.