Abstract

Several studies attempted to conceptualize and measure brand equity. Brand equity constructs identified include awareness, associations, perceived quality, and loyalty, among others. Further, brand performance has been operationalized in terms of market share, ability to charge price premium, and distribution coverage. While most studies focused on consumer-based constructs, few researchers tested the effect of distribution intensity on brand performance. This study advances a model that links distribution intensity with brand preference and loyalty, and empirically tests it on the fuel industry in Egypt. First, in-depth interviews with industry experts were conducted to validate research hypotheses. Then, online surveys were distributed to test model relationships on four leading brands. Results revealed that affect, satisfaction, perceived quality, as well as distribution intensity significantly affected brand preference; which in turn was the key driver to brand loyalty. It is recommended that firms consider the role of distribution while developing marketing strategies and brand-building activities.

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