Enhancing Brand Preference Through Sponsorship: A Self-Congruity Model

The main focus of this paper is to provide a theoretical rationale and empirical validation of the moderating influence of sponsorship on the relationship between self-image/brand-image congruence (brand congruity) and brand preference. Sponsorship itself is conceptualized within the framework of self-congruity theory. For this reason, the authors develop a model of sponsorship congruity which is empirically tested. To account for heterogeneity at the individual-level a new linear random parameter model and its parameterization by means of maximum simulated likelihood estimation is introduced.