Title: The influences of country and gender on adolescent soccer players' brand perceptions and purchase intentions

Authors: Jennifer Mak; N. David Pifer; Susmit S. Gulavani; Thomas E. Henry

Addresses: Marshall University, One John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755, USA ' Florida State University, 1014 Tully Gym, 139 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA ' Florida State University, 139 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA ' Florida State University, 139 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA

Abstract: The link between brand perceptions and purchase intentions in adolescent consumers still needs to be explored in the current branding literature. Studies examining the influences of gender and geography on the branding efforts of sporting goods manufacturers remain in relatively short supply. The present study used multiple regression models with interaction terms to analyse popular soccer brands' perceptions and purchase intentions among nearly 200 adolescent male and female soccer players in the USA and Sweden. Guided by the purposes of discovering whether brand perceptions had significant effects on purchase intentions and whether these relationships were moderated by cultural factors related to country and/or gender, the results revealed a series of significant main and interaction effects. The findings of this study support previous calls to investigate socio-cultural factors that influence adolescent consumers' brand perceptions and purchase decisions.

Keywords: brand equity; branding; football; marketing; culture.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2024.138986

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2024 Vol.24 No.3/4, pp.179 - 198

Received: 23 Apr 2023
Accepted: 25 Oct 2023
Published online: 06 Jun 2024 *

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