Mda, Liziwe Laura2013-10-252013-10-252013-10-25http://hdl.handle.net/10539/13273MBA thesisA brand is an important, but intangible asset of a company. The relationship between the brand and the consumer is one of the key dimensions of customer-based brand equity, and brand personality provides substance to that relationship. A problem is how best to position the personality of the brand in order to leverage consumer relationships with the brand. Although a substantial amount of research has examined the constructs of brand personality, there is limited research that examines how the broad spectrum of brand personality traits impact consumer relationships with the brand. This research examined the impact of brand personality on consumer relationships by studying four brands that brought a broad spectrum of personality traits. The author aimed to determine the relationship between brand personality, trust, attachment, commitment to the brand and intent to purchase. The questionnaire was developed using construct scales from previous researchers, and the constructs were validated for reliability and validity. Data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire from 198 respondents who stated that they owned one of the laptop brands Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM/Lenovo. This research brings new findings in addition to confirming existing research. Major findings of this research are that the competence trait is important for building trust in a brand. A new finding is that excitement and sophistication play an important role in building brand attachment and affective brand commitment. Another key finding is that building trust in the brand, while important, is not enough to achieve purchase intent. The key message from this research is that customer-based brand equity can be increased by positioning the brand as competent and exciting.enBrands and brandingBrand marketingThesis