The effects of brand anthropomorphism and brand trust on perceived price fairness: Examining the moderating role of brand stereotypes

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that strong brand equity shapes consumers’ inferences about firms’ pricing motives. Meanwhile, brand anthropomorphism has emerged as an effective strategy to attract attention and foster consumer support. This study proposes a framework linking brand anthropomorphism, brand trust, perceived price fairness, and purchase intention. Two experimental studies were conducted in the beverage industry, and data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results indicate that anthropomorphic brands significantly enhance perceived price fairness and purchase intentions, particularly for healthy and sports drinks. Findings also reveal that consumers rely on different dimensions of trust, including competence and benevolence, which shape their evaluations. Based on the stereotype content model, the study further examines the moderating role of brand stereotypes. Specifically, consumers show greater sensitivity to price increases when warmth cues of anthropomorphic brands are salient. These findings offer important theoretical and managerial implications.