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n spectator sports anddevelop appropriate instruments to measure it. In an effort to provide a theoreticalframework for brand equity research in spectator sports, and further advance researchin this area, Ross (2006) proposed a number of antecedents and consequences of brandequity. Three categories of antecedents of brand equity were proposed: organisationinduced (e.g. marketing mix), market induced (e.g. publicity), and experience induced.The experience induced category is related to consumers’ evaluations about the qualityof the provided services. On the other hand, team loyalty, media exposure, merchandisesales, ticket sales and revenue solicitations were proposed as consequences of brandequity.Based on the theoretical model proposed by Ross (2006), the present study aimed toempirically test the links among consumer experience, expressed by service qualityevaluations, brand associations, and loyalty in the context of participatory sport(fitness industry). Brand association research has been very limited in this context (Filoet al., 2008). The role of service quality on the development of brand associations hasnot been previously empirically examined. Brand management research is animportant area of research, since it can help fitness club marketers and managers tobuild their clubs’ brand names, guide their marketing strategies, and increase theircustomers’ loyalty (Low and Lamb, 2000).

Theoretical background

fMethodologyBrand associationsKeller (1993) defined brand associations as “informational nodes linked to the brandnode in memory and contain the meaning of the brand for the consumers” (p. 3). Thesame author classified brand associations in three categories: Attributes, benefits andattitudes. Attributes are the features of each product/service, and are classified intoproduct-related and non-product related. Product-related attributes are those that“relate to a product’s physical composition or a service requirement” (p. 4). The notionof “management” was proposed by Gladden and Funk (2002) as one of theproduct-related associations. The management of a fitness club is clearly an importantfactor on the development of members’ brand associations. Issues related to safety,variety of programs and customer service, which are product-related associations areinfluenced by members’ perceptions about the management of the club. Non-productrelated associations are external factors influencing consumer decision-makingprocess, such as information about the price, packaging, and usage imagery (Keller,1993). Gladden and Funk (2002) proposed that the design of the logo is one of thenon-product related associations. The name and logo of fitness clubs is an importantfactor, especially in national and international fitness chains, since it is related toconsumers’ recall and recognition process (Keller, 2003).Benefits, on the other hand, are related to consumers’ perceptions related to thevalue of the product, and the expected outcomes. Keller (2003, 2008) categorizedbenefits into:. functional, which are related to consumers’ expectations to satisfy consumptionrelated needs, such as becoming a member of a fitness club to achieve social andpsychological well-being;. experiential, which are related to consumers’ experiential needs, such aspleasure, excitement and variety-seeking; and. symbolic, which are related to intrinsic consumer needs,本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。