Affect Without Cognition

Do you find young fellows emotional? Do you think that their decisions are often whimsical? Have you noticed that they often buy brands and products that they have no idea of? Then why do they buy? These are the questions regarding brand attitude formation mechanism that is universally accepted as a concept model: cognition-affect-conation. This study tests the model using Chinese young consumers as a sample. Hypotheses One question this study seeks to answer is whether brand personality identification, as an affective factor, significantly influences brand buying intention, a conation factor. Nowadays Chinese young generation’s value system has changed dramatically. Traditional Chinese notions, such as “Restraint and Obedience ” and “Connotation and Introversion ” have been replaced by “Do what you like ” and “Show your own personality”. As a result, the consumption notion of Chinese young generation has also changed. Young consumers pay much attention to products that can show their own personality and demonstrate their own life styles. Then our first hypothesis is: For Chinese young consumers, brand personality identification significantly influences their brand buying intention. The second question this study seeks to answer is whether Chinese young consumers ’ buying intention of foreign brands is influenced by brand personality cognition. Since late 1970’s, Chinese have more contacts with the west and therefore known more about western world. Chinese young generation has grown up with western products and values. As frequently pointed out by both media and academia