Moderating the mediating model of brand slogan-sponsored event congruity, brand trust and brand loyalty: the role of self-congruity and attitude towards sponsorship

Despite the widespread practice of sponsorship, there is a noticeable lack of studies examining specifically brand slogan-sponsored event congruity (BSSEC) and its influence on consumers’ brand trust (BT) and brand loyalty (BL). Thus, the present study examines this issue by applying the theory of congruity for the purpose of extending the use of this theory and contributing additional information to the literature. This study examines: 1. The influence of brand slogan-sponsored event congruity (BSSEC) on attitude towards sponsorship (ATS), 2. whether ATS mediates the relationship between BSSEC and brand trust (BT), 3. whether ATS mediates the relationship between BSSEC and brand loyalty (BL)., and 4. whether ATS mediates the relationship between BSSEC and BT, while also investigating whether self-congruity with brand slogan (SCWBS) moderates the relationship between BSSEC and ATS. Objective 5 mirrors objective 4 but replaces BT with BL. An experimental research design was employed with 330 participants, and data were analysed using SPSS and Hayes’s PROCESS Macro. Results show significant differences in ATS based on varying BSSEC levels. ATS partially mediates the relationship between BSSEC and both BT and BL. Additionally, SCWBS partially moderates the mediation effect involving BT and BL. The study hopes to contribute some insights to the body of knowledge practically and methodologically and most significantly, to fill in the gap in the studies on BSSEC. This study contributes to sponsorship literature by introducing brand slogan-sponsored event congruity as a key factor influencing consumer attitudes and brand perceptions. It also provides practical insights for marketers in optimising sponsorship strategies and highlights methodological advancements in examining sponsorship effects through mediation and moderation analysis. By addressing a critical research gap, this study enhances the understanding of how brand slogans interact with sponsored events, influencing consumer trust and loyalty.