A little brand love and affection

A study of more than 800 fast-food customers suggests that loyalty to a brand is shaped not only by satisfaction with the product or service but also by the customers’ emotional experiences. The study reported in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising focused on fast-food consumers in Peru but could have implications for fast-food brands in other emerging markets.

The study was based on responses collected through an online questionnaire and analysed with a statistical technique known as structural equation modelling, which tests the relationships between multiple variables. The researchers found that perceived service quality was perhaps quite obviously associated with the degree of satisfaction with a brand. However, satisfaction, in turn, was linked to the customer’s happiness and their level of brand love and thus to brand loyalty. The research distinguishes between customer satisfaction, which considers whether expectations have been met, and happiness, which reflects a broader positive emotional response to the customer’s experience with the brand.

The findings add to a relatively small body of work that has examined happiness and brand love together and has implications for this particular emerging market where cultural factors may influence how customers assess services and develop relationships with brands.

For fast-food businesses, the results suggest that improving service alone may be insufficient. Managers must also focus on experiences that generate positive emotions, potentially strengthening customers’ attachment to a brand and their willingness to remain loyal.

Pipoli de Azambuja, G.M., Rodríguez Peña, G.A. and Tarazona Vargas, E.G. (2026) ‘The emotional connection between customer happiness and brand love on customer loyalty’, Int. J. Internet Marketing and Advertising, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp.123–148.

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