The development and measurement of a brand authenticity scale

Abstract

Modern consumers are on a quest for authenticity in the products they consume. A clear definition of the construct of brand authenticity and a precise means to measure it have yet to be developed, however. Recent research has offered the first quantitative scale for the measurement of brand authenticity. While this is clearly a step in the right direction, we propose a model for brand authenticity that is not dependent on perceptions of nostalgia and history — we argue that a brand does not have to be old or nostalgic to be authentic. Over three studies, we develop a brand authenticity scale and validate its dimensional structure, generalisability, convergent validity and reliability. Limitations and future directions for work on brand authenticity are discussed.