Influence of Brand Loyalty on Consumer Sportswear free essay sample

We owe a debt of gratitude to (professors name), for the vision and foresight which inspired us to conceive this research project on topic Influence of Brand Loyalty on Consumer Sportswear as for providing necessary information regarding the project also for her support in completing the project. We would like to express our gratitude towards member of (institute name) for their kind co-operation and encouragement which help us in completion of this project. Our thanks and appreciation also goes to all the respondents who took time to fill the questionnaires and helped us out with their abilities. INDEX S. NO CONTENTS PAGE NO. 1 Statement of the problem 4 2 Background of the Problem 5 3 Purpose of the Study 6 4 Setting for the Study 6 5 Research Questions 7 6 Definition of Terms 7 7 Factors of Brand Loyalty 8 8 Grass roots marketing 11 9 Hypotheses 12 10 Methodology 12 11 Hypothesis Test 13 12 Sample Questionnaire 14 13 Respondents’ Information 16 14 Graphs 18 15 Analysis 20 16 Research Questions Analysis 20 17 Conclusion 21 Statement of the Problem This study focuses on various aspects of building brand loyalty towards youth consumers and how current marketing strategies in the clothing company industry are used. We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of Brand Loyalty on Consumer Sportswear or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Typically marketing and public relations professionals have used branding and mass media as a way to increase visibility of a brand allowing them to stand out and create loyalty to said brand. Brand is an identifiable product, service, person or place augmented in such a way that the buyer or user perceives relevant, unique added values, which match their needs most closely. Furthermore, its success results from being able to sustain these added values in the face of competition. Brand awareness is the ability to identify the brand under different conditions and it consists of brand recognition and brand recall. It is important as it can increase the likelihood of the brand being part of, and selected from, a consideration set and ultimately strengthens brand associations and the resultant brand image. A wide variety of programs have been developed and implemented to increase customer loyalty. The majority of these programs target customers functional and economic benefits (e. g. price-discounts, coupons, mileage programs, etc. ). However, these types of loyalty programs are necessary but not a sufficient condition to simultaneously increase multifaceted customer loyalty. Increasing customer loyalty entirely requires a customized marketing strategy that varies by each different type of loyalty. By using a type of grass roots consumer marketing as opposed to mass media marketing a longer lasting brand loyalty can be built with youth consumers. Background of the Problem The existing literature regarding grass roots marketing in regards to brand loyalty is relatively minimal. It mainly focuses on the benefits of branding through the use of mass media marketing. The literature is also lacking in the area of targeting youth consumers with grass roots marketing efforts and the benefits that are possible in creating brand loyalty. The importance of reaching children at a young age with specific tactics to build brand loyalty is huge. It is suggested that decision-making skills emerge throughout childhood and that brand reliance is firmly established in children as young as two years old. Brands provide firms with an opportunity to distinguish their product offerings and provide consumers with information about the product, particularly quality and self-identity. Youth consumers are searching to build their self-identity and brands can capitalize on that. Although significant research into adult buying behaviour and branding does exist, it is not appropriate to assume that this can be applied to younger consumers. Purpose of the Study According to current trends in the field of lifestyle clothing and marketing, mass media is the chosen route. The influence of grass roots marketing to build brand loyalty is down played as a strategy to reach consumers effectively. Shifts in culture have proved that response to mass media marketing is declining and there are other alternatives to build your brand. Lifestyle clothing companies have started to implement strategies to reach youth consumer markets in a personalized way. Through the use of grass roots consumer marketing brands can capitalize on the growing field of youth consumers to build brand loyalty and create returning customers for life. By investigating the current strategies used to market clothing brands to youth it will benefit marketing, public relations, and clothing companies who consistently develop and manage brands. Setting for the Study This study was done in colleges and in shopping malls with sports brands showrooms. Questionnaires were filled by 50 respondents which includes males and females of different age groups between 20 to 30 and with different occupations. Research Questions The study used following research questions that were designed to answer fundamental gaps in the existing literature on the topic development and evaluation of grass roots marketing towards youth consumers to build brand loyalty. Each question was created after investigating the existing information on the topic in order to acquire additional pertinent and necessary data from professionals in the fields of marketing, public relations, and clothing for the study. 1. How does one create loyalty through the use of branding? 2. How do product-branding efforts affect different aged demographics? 3. How does branding in sports goods affect younger consumers? 4. Why is brand loyalty incorporated in the grass roots marketing of sports goods? 5. What is the success of grass roots marketing in sustaining youth consumer loyalty to the established brand? Definition of Terms The following terms are defined to clarify several of the terms on the topic and assist the reader and provide context to the remainder of the study. Brand: An identifiable product, service, person or place augmented in such a way that the buyer or user perceives relevant, unique added values, which match their needs most closely. Furthermore, its success results from being able to sustain these added values in the face of competition. Brand Community: defined in terms of the relationships in which the customer is situated, including relationships between the customer and the brand, between the customer and the company, between the customer and the product in use, and among fellow customers. Brand communities create loyalty, causing the consumer to intend to keep the relationship and ultimately repurchase your product. Brand awareness: the ability to identify a brand under different conditions, it consists of brand recognition and brand recall. Brand awareness is important as it can increase the likelihood of the brand being part of, and selected from, a consideration set and ultimately strengthens brand associations and the resultant brand image. Brand Alliance: the short-or-long term association of both tangible and intangible qualities associated with brand partners in order to increase visibility of one or both brands. Brand Loyalty: the increased profits or benefits of a branded product, corporation or person compared to those with no brand name attached. Factors of Brand Loyalty Brand Name Famous brand names can disseminate product benefits and lead to higher recall of advertised benefits than non-famous brand names. There are many unfamiliar brand names and alternatives available in the market place. Consumers may prefer to trust major famous brand names. These prestigious brand names and their images attract consumers to purchase the brand and bring about repeat purchasing behaviour and reduce price related switching behaviours. Furthermore, brand personality provides links to the brand’s emotional and self-expressive benefits for differentiation. This is important for brands which have only minor physical differences and are consumed in a social setting where the brand can create a visible image about the consumer itself. On other hand, fashion magazines and fashion press elaborate on the designer’s collections to the full extent and thus reinforce better images to facilitate consumer recognition. Consumers are usually able to evaluate each of the products and brand name attributes. It is noteworthy that this information is essential for marketing managers to make informed decisions concerning product positioning, repositioning and differential advantages. Brand name is the creation of an image or the development of a brand identity and is an expensive and time consuming process. The development of a brand name is an essential part of the process since the name is the basis of a brand’s image. Brand name is important for the firm to attract customers to purchase the product and influence repeat purchasing behaviour. Consumers tend to perceive the products from an overall perspective, associating with the brand name all the attributes and satisfaction experienced by the purchase and use of the product. Product Quality Product Quality encompasses the features and characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. In other words, product quality is defined as â€Å"fitness for use† or ‘conformance to requirement†. Consumers may repeat the purchase of single brands or switch around several brands due to the tangible quality of the product sold. The components of product quality of fashion merchandise include size measurement, cutting or fitting, material, colour, function and the performance of the merchandise. Fitting is a crucial aspect in garment selection because some fitted garments such as swimsuits and aerobic wear can ideally enhance the consumers’ general appearance. Material is important in product quality because it affects the hand feel, texture and other performance aspects of the product. Further, consumers relate personally to colour, and could select or reject a fashion because of colour. If the colour does not appeal to them or flatter their own colour, they will reject the fashion. Functional attributes in sportswear include quick-dry, breathable, waterproof, odour-resistant, lightweight, and antimicrobial and finally, durability which is the use life of garments. For instance, some consumers wear their sportswear for heavy work and some for leisure and sports, as they need a lot of movement, while durability is an important consideration in purchasing sportswear. Perfectionist or quality consciousness is defined as an awareness of and desire for high quality products, and the need to make the best or perfect choice versus buying the first product or brand available. This indicates that quality characteristics are also related to performance. Price Price is probably the most important consideration for the average consumer. Consumers with high brand loyalty are willing to pay a premium price for their favoured brand, so, their purchase intention is not easily affected by price. In addition, customers have a strong belief in the price and value of their favourite brands so much so that they would compare and evaluate prices with alternative brands. Consumers’ satisfaction can also be built by comparing price with perceived costs and values. If the perceived values of the product are greater than cost, it is observed that consumers will purchase that product. Loyal customers are willing to pay a premium even if the price has increased because the perceived risk is very high and they prefer to pay a higher price to avoid the risk of any change. Basically, long-term relationships of service loyalty make loyal customers more price tolerant, since loyalty discourages customers from making price comparison with other products by shopping around. Price has increasingly become a focal point in consumers’ judgments of offer value as well as their overall assessment of the retailer. Price significantly influences consumer choice and incidence of purchase. He emphasized that discount pricing makes households switch brands and buy products earlier than needed. Price is described as the quantity of payment or compensation for something. It indicates price as an exchange ratio between goods that pay for each other. Price also communicates to the market the company’s intended value positioning of its product or brand. Price consciousness is defined as finding the best value, buying at sale prices or the lowest price choice. Additionally, consumers generally evaluated market price against an internal reference price, before they decide on the attractiveness of the retail price. Style Style is visual appearance, which includes line, silhouette and details affecting consumer perception towards a brand. A composite list of apparel attributes has been generated and one of the conceptual categories is style. Consumers’ judgment depends on the consumers’ level of fashion consciousness, so judgment will be conditioned by their opinion of what is currently fashionable. Brands that supply stylish sportswear attract loyal consumers who are fashion conscious. Fashion leaders or followers usually purchase or continue to repeatedly purchase their fashion garments in stores that are highly fashionable. They gain satisfaction from wearing the latest fashion and style which also satisfies their ego. A research investigated the niche market in women’s sportswear results showed that sportswear shoppers were becoming more fashion conscious and were demanding products with more style; furthermore, consumers have a tendency to wear different attires for different occasions. Fashion consciousness is generally defined as an awareness of new styles, changing fashions, and attractive styling, as well as the desire to buy something exciting and trendy. Store Environment The store environment is the single most important factor in retail marketing success and store longevity. Positive attributes of the store, which include store location, store layout, and in-store stimuli, affect brand loyalty to some extent. Store location and number of outlets are crucial in altering consumer shopping and purchasing patterns. If consumers find the store to be highly accessible during their shopping trip and are satisfied with the store’s assortment and services, these consumers may become loyal afterwards. Thus, a store’s atmosphere is one of the factors that could influence consumer’s decision making. The stimuli in the store, such as the characteristic of other shoppers and salespeople, store layout, noises, smells, temperature, shelf space and displays, sign, colours, and merchandise, affect consumers and serve as elements of apparel attributes, which may in turn, affect consumer decision making and satisfaction with the brand. On the other hand, background music played in the stores affects attitudes and behaviour. The slow-beat musical selection leads to higher sales volume as consumers spend more time and money in a conducive environment. There are many advantages to retailers having loyal customers. Customer loyalty could yield a favourable operating cost advantage for retailers. Furthermore, they stressed that obtaining new customers cost five to six times as much as retaining current customers. Loyal customers can increase their purchase spending, they are low cost for retailers as compared to obtaining new customers; they accept price premiums and they have customer longevity. The channel convenience of the brands had significant influence on buying behaviour. This means that the accessibility to this product/brand in the store is important when purchasing low involvement products. Consumers will not go to another store just to find the brand. Instead, they will stay put and choose another brand. Promotion Promotion is a marketing mix component which is a kind of communication with consumers. Promotion includes the use of advertising, sales promotions, personal selling and publicity. Advertising is a non-personal presentation of information in mass media about a product, brand, company or store. It greatly affects consumers’ images, beliefs and attitudes towards products and brands, and in turn, influences their purchase behaviours. This shows that promotion, especially through advertising, can help establish ideas or perceptions in the consumers’ minds as well as help differentiate products against other brands. Promotion is an important element of a firm’s marketing strategy. Promotion is used to communicate with customers with respect to product offerings, and it is also a way to encourage purchase or sales of a product or service. Sales promotion tools are used by most organisations in support of advertising and public relations activities, and they are targeted toward consumers as final users. Promotion has a key role in determining profitability and market success and is one of the key elements of the marketing mix which includes advertising; direct marketing; sales promotion; public relations and publicity; personal selling and sponsorship. Service Quality A common definition of service quality is that the service should correspond to the customers’ expectations and satisfy their needs and requirements. Service quality is a kind of personal selling, and involves direct interactions between salespeople and potential buyers. Consumers like to shop at specific stores because they like the services provided and are assured of certain service privileges. The impact of salespeople-consumer relationships will generally result in long term orientation of consumers towards the store or brand. Trust in salespeople appears to relate to overall perceptions of the store’s service quality, and results in the consumer being totally satisfied with the stores in the end. Additionally, personalisation (i. e. reliability, responsiveness, personalization and tangibles) significantly influence consumers’ experience and evaluation of service, and in turn, affects the brand loyalty of consumers (To and Leung, 2001). The quality of a service as perceived by customers had three dimensions: functional (or process) dimension, technical (or outcome) dimension, and image. Utilising only functional quality attributes to explain and/or predict consumers’ behaviour might be a misspecification of service quality and had low predictive validity. Grass roots marketing Brand loyalty incorporated in the grass roots marketing of lifestyle fashion. Grass roots marketing approaches are about reaching customers on a more personal level. Example of successful grass roots marketing campaign for sustaining youth consumer loyalty to established brands. First of all, it is clear that a companys brand community marketing activities have the power to influence the strength of the relationships among community participants, the brand, and the company. Accordingly, companies recognizing the important role of brand community should make every effort to actively manage a brand community. Second, the provision of a space in which customers can directly participate would be very effective in enhancing customers loyalty toward a brand. Brand communities are useful spaces where consumers get involved, exchange relevant information among members, and broaden their understanding about brands. Since customers participation often leads to brand loyalty activities, brand communities should be considered as a tool to improve marketing effectiveness. Third, the noted importance of brand communities offers new insights for customer relationship management and related marketing activities. Following the trend of companies making the most of customers positive word-of-mouth in their marketing strategies, suggestions on ways to increase community commitment should make valuable contributions to companies customer relationship marketing. Fourth, it is suggested that trust and affect are vital factors in enhancing customers brand community commitment, raising the question as to how a company might increase trust and affect in the minds of its brand community users. Brand community managers should help users to develop an emotional bond with the brand community and the brand. Sustained efforts to make users feel pleasure and enjoyment will enhance the affective atmosphere of the brand community. In addition, brand community mangers should engage in careful knowledge management to ensure that all the available information is trustworthy. Considering that trust is more influential than affect on brand community commitment and loyalty behaviours, as identified in this study, brand community managers should take precautions to enhance the level of trust toward the brand community. Likewise, the brand community website and community user activity should be designed to facilitate the enhancement of trust and affect toward the brand community. Hypotheses This article focuses on the factors that influence consumers’ brand loyalty towards a particular brand. Based on the factors that influence brand loyalty, the following hypotheses are derived. H1: There is a significant and positive relationship between brand name and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H2: There is a significant and positive relationship between product quality and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H3: There is a significant and positive relationship between price and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H4: There is a significant and positive relationship between style and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H5: There is a significant and positive relationship between promotion and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H6: There is a significant and positive relationship between service quality and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. H7: There is a significant and positive relationship between store environment and brand loyalty on consumer sportswear. Methodology The Sample Respondents include 25 males and 25 females from different age groups between15 to 30. They are all students of Chandigarh. A total of 50 sets of questionnaires were distributed to respondents. Data collection method To conduct the study, primary data and secondary data are used by the researcher to analyse brand loyalty on sportswear. Primary data was collected by using self-administered questionnaires which were distributed to respondents who were briefed on the purpose of the study. The structure of the questionnaire is clear, easy to understand, and straightforward to ensure that the respondents could answer the questions with ease. Research Instrument A self-administered questionnaire in English was developed and divided into three sections: brand loyalty, consumer’s favourite sports brand and factors which influence brand loyalty. Hypothesis Test Brand name was found to have significant positive relationship with brand loyalty. The research results showed that consumers favoured brand image when they perceive positive benefits or function from the product. They would then recommend the brand, have positive reaction on the price premium and are willing to accept brand extensions to other product categories within the same brand. Product quality was shown to have positive relationship with brand loyalty. This finding indicates that product quality is significant in the consumer decision making process. The research findings showed that price and brand loyalty had a positive relationship. Price was an important consideration for the average consumer. However, consumers with high brand loyalty were less-price sensitive. The result suggested that as long as the respondents were satisfied with a particular brand, they would repurchase the product with the same brand name even if it was highly priced. However, the findings showed that there was no relationship between style and brand loyalty. From the seven variables identified, style was not considered an important factor for students to be loyal to particular sportswear brand. The results showed that promotion and brand loyalty were positively related. Promotion was considered as one of the most important factors in determining a consumers’ brand loyalty. It includes the use of advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and publicity. From the study conducted, it was seen that female respondents actually spent more time reading product labels before buying products. The finding also showed that service quality and brand loyalty had a positive relationship. Service quality was an important factor in influencing and encouraging consumers to patronise a store. The results indicated that the salesperson-consumer relationship will generally result in long-term orientation of consumers toward a store. At the same time, trust in the salesperson appeared to relate to the overall perception of the store’s service quality which resulted in the consumer’s total satisfaction with the store. Store environment was positively related to brand loyalty. The Store environment is considered one of the factors that can influence consumer brand loyalty. From this study, it is observed that consumers paid much attention to store attributes such as merchandise display, variety of selection, parking space, easily accessible by car and the reputation of the store in purchasing products. SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE Questionnaire On Brand Loyalty 1. Name___________________ 2. Sex____________________ 3. Age ___________________ 3. Occupation______________ 4. Income__________________ 1. Do you experiment with different brands? a) Yes b) No c) Sometimes 2. Please select the Brand you are loyal to? a) Adidas b) Puma c) Reebok d) Fila e) Nike f) Others 3. What do you look for in the product you choose? a) Price b) Quality c) Quantity d) Packaging e) Brand Image of the company f) Others_________________ 4. To what extent has the product been successful to meet your needs? a) To the fullest extent b) More than 80% c) 50% – 80% d) Less than 50% e) Can’t say 5. Please select the campaigns which will enhance your loyal to the brand? a) Sponsorship (e. g. sports event, sports-player) b) Customization (e. g. design your own product) c) Cross-over with fashion designer d) Specialization Function of Product e) Provide High Quality of Service f) Attractive Store Decoration and Location g) Advertising h) Attractive Price 6. How many times you purchased the sportswear last year? a) Maximum(10 and above) b) Average(5-10 times) c) Minimum(Below 5) 7. Do you switch to other Brands while buying? a) Yes b) No 8. The price of the Brand you prefer a) Is as per your expectations b) Is more than your expectations c) Is less than your expectations d) Can’t say 9. What are the sources of your product brand information? a) Friends b) Family c) TV ads d) Website e) Other__________________ 10. Rank the after sales service of the brand you chose (1= least and 5 = highest) a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 e) 5 11. Can you list some areas of improvement of the branded product ? ___________________________________________________ Respondents’ Information NAME GENDER AGE OCCUPATION INCOME AAKANSHA VOHRA FEMALE 16 STUDENT 5000 ARSH KHARBANDA FEMALE 18 STUDENT 5000 CHAHAT SINGH FEMALE 15 STUDENT 5000 HARSH SURI MALE 26 STUDENT 10000 HEMANT KOHLI MALE 27 STUDENT 14000 VAIBHAV SHARMA MALE 22 STUDENT 8000 SIMRAN DHALIWAL FEMALE 21 STUDENT 9000 POONAM DEEP FEMALE 23 STUDENT 6000 VISHAL MAHINDRU MALE 21 STUDENT 7000 GURLEEN CHABBRA MALE 22 STUDENT 5000 ANKUSH JOLLY MALE 22 STUDENT 10000 RITAMBHRA KHANEJA FEMALE 21 STUDENT 8000 SHILPA SONDHI FEMALE 23 STUDENT 12000 SAMDISHA KOHLI FEMALE 29 STUDENT 15000 RAVNEET SHERGILL MALE 23 STUDENT 12500 NIDHI GILL FEMALE 30 STUDENT 10000 GAURAV SETHI MALE 28 STUDENT 17000 HARDIK KOHLI MALE 15 STUDENT 5000 REYAANSH SURI MALE 16 STUDENT 8000 AARAV SINGH MALE 16 STUDENT 7000 KANAV CHABBRA MALE 17 STUDENT 10000 KAASHVI JUNEJA FEMALE 16 STUDENT 5000 DIZA GILL FEMALE 15 STUDENT 8000 SONIA AARYA FEMALE 26 STUDENT 11000 PAARTH SONDHI MALE 25 STUDENT 12000 PALLAVI GUPTA FEMALE 23 STUDENT 18000 PANKURI SUNDRA FEMALE 29 STUDENT 10000 KAMAYANI JAIN FEMALE 24 STUDENT 7000 SARANSH CHOPRA MALE 23 STUDENT 13000 SURKHAAB ANJUMAN FEMALE 23 STUDENT 15000 HARLUVLEEN BOPARAI FEMALE 20 STUDENT 8000 ISHRAT GILL FEMALE 18 STUDENT 9000 TARANNUM CHAWLA FEMALE 16 STUDENT 5000 ANHAD SADANA MALE 20 STUDENT 6000 RISHAB GUPTA MALE 19 STUDENT 8000 KAMAKSHI PURI FEMALE 15 STUDENT 5000 LEISHA SINGH FEMALE 23 STUDENT 9000 SHIVI SAHNI FEMALE 28 STUDENT 10000 SWATI SURI FEMALE 25 STUDENT 6000 HITESH SINGH MALE 27 STUDENT 9000 NEHA JINDAL FEMALE 26 STUDENT 8000 SHILPA JOSHI FEMALE 21 STUDENT 5000 ANSH GARG MALE 22 STUDENT 7000 ANIMESH SAHNI MALE 29 STUDENT 10000 AARYAN AHUJA MALE 23 STUDENT 6500 ABHINAV SOOD MALE 27 STUDENT 7000 UDAY WARAICH MALE 26 STUDENT 9500 NISHANT GARG MALE 28 STUDENT 8000 SAKSHAM BHASIN MALE 25 STUDENT 8000 Graphs ANALYSIS ON THE BASIS OF GENDER GENDER NUMBER MALE 25 FEMALE 25 ANALYSIS ON THE BASIS OF INCOME INCOME NUMBER ABOVE 10000 10 5000-10000 40 ANALYSIS FOR MALES AGE NUMBER 15-20 6 21-30 19 ANALYSIS FOR FEMALES AGE NUMBER 15-20 8 21-30 17 Analysis Both males and females of 15-20 years category are experimental in nature as they keep on switching to different brands. This means that their loyalty factor varies from brand to brand because of various factors. Brand image and quality is the main criteria followed by them. Their purchase is irregular for different products of varied brands. The main sources of information for them are their friends and relatives followed by social media. They also rely on television advertisements. The monthly income of these youngsters range between 5000 to 10000. 21 to 30 years age group youngsters are not really that experimental in nature as compared to the people falling in 15 to 20 age group category. In spite of having a moderately good income they like to be loyal to a particular product of a specific brand quality and price is the main focus for these people followed by brand image. As they are loyal so specific brand for a particular product they are all satisfied with the quality, price and other schemes provided by that brand they are loyal to. That is the sole reason that they are not experimental in nature and do not switch brands. Research Questions Analysis For this project, the following five research questions were designed to answer fundamental gaps in the existing literature on the topic development and evaluation of grass roots marketing towards youth consumers to build brand loyalty. Each question was created after investigating the existing information on the topic in order to acquire additional pertinent and necessary data from professionals in the fields of marketing and public relations. Research question 1: How does one create loyalty through the use of branding? Increasing customer loyalty entirely requires a customized marketing strategy that varies by each different type of loyalty. Research question 2: How do product-branding efforts affect different aged demographics? The age at which brand importance becomes significant to young consumers is the keystone for marketers as it allows them to better predict the evaluative judgments and purchase decisions made and influenced by children when they become adults. Although significant research into adult buying behaviour and branding exists, it is not appropriate to assume that this can be applied to younger consumers. Research question 3: How does branding in sports goods affect younger consumers? Customers express themselves through the brands they like, and they are favourable and attached to brands having higher congruity with their self-image. As a result, they are highly likely to repurchase such brands consistently. A positive attitude toward a brand is formed when consumers self-image and brand image are congruous. Research question 4: Why is brand loyalty incorporated in the grass roots marketing of sports goods? Commitment as a psychological attachment leads to customers proactive behaviour, such as positive word-of-mouth. Specifically, when customers are affectively committed to a service company, they identify themselves with the companys vision and value, and in turn they are interested in the growth of the company. As a result, they demonstrate proactive behaviours such as positive word-of-mouth In short, customers sense of unity with a brand community leads to their active word-of-mouth. Research question 5: What is the success of grass roots marketing in sustaining youth consumer loyalty to the established brand? Grass roots marketing is a successful tool. Total creative expression is a defining quality of a brand and remains paramount in the execution of the tours. In the same fashion, this is how the tours began, incubated by passion, creativity and a straightforward approach. CONCLUSION The purpose of this research is to investigate how the respondents are influenced by factors of brand loyalty towards sportswear brands. Brand loyalty is important for an organisation to ensure that its product is kept in the minds of consumers and prevent them from switching to other brands. The research showed that it was not easy to obtain and maintain consumer loyalty for a company’s product because there were many forces drawing consumers away such as competition, consumers’ thirst for variety, etc. From the analysis of this study, it was shown that there are six factors of brand loyalty that were appropriate in the Indian environment which are, the brand name, product quality, price, promotion, service quality and store environment. The findings revealed that product quality plays a significant role in influencing consumers to be brand loyal customers. Interestingly, it is noted that this factor of product quality also plays a vital role. Additionally, the overall findings of this study also show that amongst others youngsters prefer brand name, product quality, price, promotion, store environment and service quality as relevant factors attributable to brand loyalty. All these factors showed positive relationships with brand loyalty except style which had no relationship. Undeniably, the sportswear industry is one area which offers vast potential in the consumer market where there is increase in sporting activities. More reliable and positive findings on this topic would impact on consumers, marketers and policy makers.