From Leadership to Addiction: How Does a Brand Create a Lasting Impact? a Descriptive Analytical of The Opinions of a Sample Customers of Apple, Samsung, and Huawei Companies

Research hypothesis

Brand leadership, in terms of its dimensions (perceived quality, perceived value, perceived Innovation, Perceived Popularity), affects brand addiction in terms of its dimensions (brand trust, brand love, brand loyalty, brand Liking, brand attachment, brand passion) among customers of Apple, Samsung, and Huawei. As illustrated in Figure in Appendix (4).

Brand leadership emphasizes strategy and broader scope, excellence in quality and Popularity, and Innovation, with the ability to achieve consistent differentiation in the market, in addition to the value that the customer gains after the purchase process compared to pre-purchase standards. Thus, the more the quality of the products offered by the brand aligns with customer desires, the more it leads to customer satisfaction, enhanced brand reputation, and repeated purchase behavior. This positively contributes to building an emotional and psychological experience for customers, thereby increasing customer loyalty toward the brand to reach the level of passion and addiction. The brand achieves a competitive advantage by providing better value compared to competitors. When designing marketing strategies, the brand pays greater attention to the value received by customers.¹⁴ Therefore, the first sub-hypothesis, which states that perceived quality affects brand addiction in terms of its dimensions among Apple, Samsung, and Huawei customers, is accepted, as shown in the table in Appendix (1).

When customers feel satisfied through receiving greater value, they tend to repurchase and increase their attachment to the brand, preferring it over competing companies. This may lead to brand addiction. This is not only related to the products themselves but also to acquiring knowledge and information about the brand and its reputation. Consequently, the value provided by the brand significantly influences customer behavior in choosing it, enhancing their trust and making them prefer it over competitors.¹⁵ High quality gives customers a reason to purchase its products, allows the brand to differentiate itself from competitors, and enables it to set a higher price.¹⁶ Therefore, the second sub-hypothesis, which states that perceived value affects brand addiction in terms of its dimensions among Apple, Samsung, and Huawei customers, is accepted, as shown in the table in Appendix (1).

Brand loyalty is directly influenced by customers’ perception of the brand’s Innovation, as they feel that innovative products can meet their needs and desires, which increases their commitment and loyalty to the brand. It contributes to enhancing customer Liking and trust by offering new and effective solutions, encouraging the development of continuous loyalty toward it. Perceived Innovation refers to the unique characteristics offered by the brand that add real value to the customer. Additionally, a brand with high levels of Innovation stimulates purchase intentions among customers through the emotional, cognitive, and psychological effects it generates.¹⁷ Customer loyalty represents a solid economic pillar, as loyal customers spend more and remain with the brand longer. Retaining existing customers is five times less costly than attracting a new customer. Conversely, losing customers can be costly, as losing a customer does not only mean losing a single sale but also losing the series of purchases they would have made over their loyalty period.¹⁸ Thus, perceived Innovation plays a key role in enhancing customer addiction to brand products by providing immediate gratification for their emotional and cognitive experiences. Innovative products are associated with strong and positive links in customers’ minds, generating feelings of enjoyment and excitement and evoking emotions of enthusiasm and surprise. This emotional and cognitive satisfaction stimulates their ability to think and solve problems and helps them adapt to new changes in brand products, improving the consumption experience immediately and strengthening the emotional relationship between the customer and the brand. This interaction enhances customer perception and encourages engagement, contributing to the creation of behavioral, psychological, and emotional experiences that lead to brand addiction, as customers continuously seek to satisfy their emotional and cognitive desires through interaction with the brand. Therefore, the third sub-hypothesis, which states that perceived Innovation affects brand addiction in terms of its dimensions among Apple, Samsung, and Huawei customers, is accepted, as shown in the table in Appendix (1).

Brand Popularity reflects the extent of its distinction compared to competitors. The more the brand is distinguished and possesses resources exceeding competitors, the higher its Popularity among customers, increasing their Liking for it. Brand Popularity is evaluated through customer surveys or focus groups. It contributes to building customer trust in the brand, increasing loyalty, enhancing positive impressions, and attracting attention. It can be enhanced through social media. For example, posting content related to brand products or sharing brand-related images is a common way to enhance Popularity, generating positive engagement such as likes and positive comments, reinforcing customers’ sense of superiority and high brand status. This enhances brand love and passion, ultimately leading to brand addiction due to increased reliance on it for personal satisfaction. Some studies have shown that companies with larger social media followers are associated with increased customer dependence on them, indicating a relationship between brand Popularity and addiction.¹⁹ According to signaling theory, customers’ perception of brand products is shaped by a set of signals provided by the brand, including its customer base and fan following. Based on these signals, customers discover information and evaluate brand products before making purchase decisions. According to this theory, using Perceived Popularity as an external signal in advertising motivates customers to evaluate products positively, providing them value and creating an impression that the brand offers high-value products with lower risk compared to competitors.²⁰ Therefore, the fourth sub-hypothesis, which states that Perceived Popularity affects brand addiction in terms of its dimensions among Apple, Samsung, and Huawei customers, is accepted, as shown in the table in Appendix (1).

Based on the foregoing, the researchers believe that companies can achieve leadership for their brand in the market by developing a distinctive brand identity that reflects its values and mission, which contributes to attracting customers and creating a rapid emotional connection with them. In addition, brands can achieve leadership in the market by offering products distinguished by high quality, which helps generate feelings of admiration and attachment among customers, thereby strengthening their affinity and motivating their continuous interaction with the brand. This may go beyond mere loyalty to reach the level of addiction to the product. When brand products are associated with societal values such as innovation, customers feel proud of their association with the brand, which enhances their desire to continue interacting with and relying on it, as is the case with Apple, which has succeeded in creating a sense of pride and connection among its customers thanks to its commitment to innovation and social responsibility. This motivates customers to repeatedly engage with the brand and increases their sense of added value, leading to the development of a sustainable relationship that eventually evolves into addiction. Based on the foregoing, the relationship between brand leadership and brand addiction can be explained through a conceptualization of the effect of brand leadership on brand addiction.

Data collection methods

Theoretical Aspect: The researchers relied on the available contributions of scholars regarding the study variables, drawing from various scientific sources, including university theses and dissertations, books, scientific articles, and conferences related to the main variables of the study and their sub-dimensions.

Field Aspect: The questionnaire represented the primary source adopted by the researchers for collecting data related to the study variables. The researchers employed the five-point Likert scale with scores ranging from (5 = Strongly Agree to 1 = Strongly Disagree) to measure the questionnaire items.

Study limits

Theoretical framework

Companies seek growth and aim to expand their marketing efforts, and it is essential to meet customers’ needs, preferences, and expectations to ensure repeat purchases and increase loyalty to the brand’s products. To enable company management to develop marketing strategies that establish a strong brand in target markets and ensure attracting and retaining customers, it is necessary to focus on emotional, functional, and social value. To guarantee the ability to continuously deliver new products that meet customers’ requirements, preferences, and tastes, these products should be of high quality and enjoy widespread recognition in the market compared to competing companies. In light of the foregoing, the following can be stated:

Brand leadership

The brand is considered a key attribute of brand equity models, as it measures the community’s appreciation and respect for the brand in terms of leadership, reliability, and quality. It also reflects the brand’s flexibility and ability to respond quickly to market changes, seize opportunities, and adapt to challenges.²¹ It revolves around building long-term value, and its success does not depend on producing a single product but rather on multiple products. It is expressed through reputation and identity within a specific market segment.²²

The current competitive environment requires continuous product improvements, which involve significant investments in time, resources, and planning, and are fraught with risks. The brand’s brilliance lies in effectively managing these risks and selecting appropriate technologies that enhance performance in target markets while considering a defined budget. This helps companies’ strategies to innovate value for the targeted customers.²³

In most markets, some companies achieve a leading market position due to competitive advantages. However, the question arises: why do customers tend to purchase from another company in the same market? The answer is that attitude plays a key role in changing customer loyalty toward another company’s products. When a second company’s products possess certain attractive characteristics, or the strategy it follows is the main reason for customers’ preference to buy from it. In other words, when the company’s products are unavailable in the market where customers are loyal to it, or when the products offered by the second company feature functional, social, or emotional value compared to the first company, or due to geographical distance, customers’ attitudes and preferences shift toward the second company because purchasing behavior determines customer preferences in the market.²⁴

Brand leadership does not necessarily require owning better products; there are other competitive factors to consider, such as the first-mover advantage, which is linked to the degree of radical innovation in a new market and the ability to diversify, granting the brand a leading position in the market.²⁵ It is the result of organization, development, and strategic planning, in which multiple stakeholders participate. Customers participate in brand development as contributors and are transformed into brand ambassadors.²⁶

Defined brand leadership as an emotional and cognitive process aimed at evaluating the extent of customer loyalty to the brand and identifying products that contribute to enhancing its competitive position in the market.^16,27 Defined it as a marketing strategy that enhances brand value and increases its recognition by motivating customers to promote the products, leading to increased purchase rates and sales growth.²⁸ Defined it as a strategic approach used by brand managers to differentiate their products in the market, build a unique identity, and achieve sustainable superiority over competitors.

From the foregoing, the researchers conclude that brand leadership represents an emotional process felt by customers toward the brand to strengthen their attachment to it. It contributes to forming a positive mental image of the brand and the willingness to pay more for its products. These feelings work to enhance customer loyalty, build strong relationships, influence purchasing behavior, thus reinforcing the brand’s market position, achieving sustainable excellence, and improving product value and awareness through meeting customers’ desires promptly and effectively.

With increasing competition, achieving brand leadership requires defining strong strategies to position the brand in the market and attain a distinctive position. These strategies necessitate developing a comprehensive understanding of customers’ needs.²⁹ Brand leadership acquires great importance amid intense competition, as it represents a vital strategy to build a strong and distinctive mental image of the brand in customers’ minds, enhance their long-term loyalty, and establish trust and credibility as the foundation for building customer loyalty. It requires a clear strategic vision based on precise planning, long-term commitment, innovative marketing strategies, and a focus on total quality.³⁰

Companies with strong products in the market gain a competitive edge over rivals and increase customer awareness and trust, thereby affecting their loyalty to the brand. Building a strong brand is an effective marketing strategy that leads to market success and, consequently, increases customer loyalty and repeat purchases.³¹ This was confirmed by,¹⁶ who indicated that effective brand leadership significantly contributes to building customer loyalty and directing their behavior toward purchasing brand products. The decision to repurchase largely depends on the positive impressions the brand leaves in the customer’s mind, including its high quality, reasonable price, value aligned with customer expectations, and previous experience with its reputation.

Brand leadership enhances the brand’s competitive capability by building strong relationships with customers, understanding their needs and expectations, which creates clear brand development. It coordinates communication processes to reach the target audience, listen to their opinions, and understand how to attract their attention and loyalty over the long term.³² From the foregoing, the dimensions of brand leadership can be stated as follows:

Perceived quality is considered an effective competitive necessity, as it has attracted the attention of marketers in the field of products due to their belief in its positive effects on the company’s sales, repurchase process, and its role in developing marketing strategies to increase market share. It relies on providing high-quality products to achieve a competitive advantage and on their suitability to customer preferences, as it affects their satisfaction, trust, and loyalty.³³ It is considered a differentiating factor that provides a reason to purchase a specific product over competitors’ products, and it also helps the brand achieve market leadership through understanding customer needs and developing products that meet their needs and expectations, in addition to continuous communication with them.²⁵ Thus, it is capable of responding to market dynamics by changing product quality according to changes in customer tastes, which are influenced by several factors, including advertising expenditure and brand reputation.³⁴ Product quality can also be evaluated through its characteristics that are produced to meet customer needs and satisfaction, enhancing the brand’s position in customers’ minds and achieving differentiation from competitors.³⁵ By adding value to the brand, it also helps increase customer loyalty due to their trust in the products provided by the brand,³⁶ and it contributes to attracting new customers, retaining existing customers, and increasing brand perception in customers’ minds. For example, Apple focuses on security and privacy in its products, directing marketing messages to show how Apple is committed to protecting customer data, using phrases such as “Your privacy is yours” or “Protect your data with Apple”.³⁷ Based on the above, the researchers define perceived quality as the customer’s immediate self-assessment of the quality of brand products based on their fulfillment of immediate needs compared to available alternatives, through personal experience with the brand, its reputation, and the immediate value provided by the company compared to competitors, aiming to deliver products and experiences that meet customer expectations instantly, which motivates them to make quick purchase decisions and increase their loyalty.

In recent years of the current decade, companies have increasingly focused on the concept of value and how to provide it to customers. However, few companies have the ability to deliver value effectively, as value is considered the cornerstone of business management in general and marketing management in particular. Therefore, companies need to understand the factors that create value for customers.³⁸ Companies that achieve a leading market position focus on creating value for their customers by understanding their needs and expectations and providing unique value compared to competitors, which helps build trust between the brand and customers, increase loyalty, and achieve high profits for the brand.³⁹

Perceived value is considered one of the important dimensions for brand leadership. Customer satisfaction with a product does not necessarily mean that the product has high value; customers may perceive a product as low value due to its low price, while they may consider it high value if they believe that the value they receive is good relative to the price paid.⁴⁰ Successful companies provide a range of products that offer the highest value to customers, making them the optimal choice even if there are cheaper alternatives. Customers’ perception of the superior value offered by these companies motivates them to prefer them and be willing to pay a higher price for their products, enhancing their ability to attract new customers and retain existing ones in the long term.⁴¹ Based on the above, the researchers infer that perceived value is a fundamental concept through which companies aim to understand and enhance value to build relationships with customers and achieve sustainable success in the market. It refers to the customer’s self-assessment of the value received relative to the costs and sacrifices made, including tangible factors (costs) and intangible factors (effort, time), influenced by customer expectations, experiences, and comparisons with competitors’ offerings, and linked to the brand’s ability to meet customer needs instantly, thereby achieving the brand’s long-term objectives.

Companies rely on continuously introducing new products to maintain a leading position and achieve a competitive advantage by creating an interactive environment where customers can engage personally with the brand, keep up with the latest technological trends, and continuously experience new offerings. This helps the brand build strong relationships with customers and increase their loyalty. On the other hand, the impact of new products may be limited on customers, especially in emerging markets, which facilitates easy imitation of these products by competitors.⁴²

Perceived Innovation reflects modernity and uniqueness in the offerings presented to customers, helping the brand differentiate itself from competitors. It significantly affects brand growth and development, as when customers see that the brand continuously offers new ideas and products, it instills a sense of trust because highly creative customers tend to explore new products continuously.⁴³ Companies invest substantial resources in marketing programs to enhance Innovation, as this leads to increased market share and profitability and establishes barriers to entry for competitors. On the other hand, the success of companies depends on how customers perceive their products as offering innovation.⁴⁴ Customers lacking information about product performance rely on external signals such as price information. Companies seeking to achieve Innovation should focus on cultivating customer loyalty and effectively positioning themselves as innovators to gain a competitive advantage in the market.⁴⁵ Based on the above, the researchers conclude that perceived Innovation is an important concept in marketing management. It refers to the degree to which customers perceive the brand’s products they consume as modern and unique, meeting their needs and desires instantly. This perception enhances the customer experience by providing immediate and innovative solutions, boosting customer loyalty, contributing to building immediate competitive advantages, and attracting customers seeking to satisfy their desires efficiently and promptly.

Customers today face large amounts of information about products, making purchase decisions difficult.⁴⁶ Therefore, companies are required to adopt a multi-faceted approach to improve interactions with current and potential customers. To increase product Popularity, companies seek to use various marketing methods such as advertising, public relations, content marketing via social media, and word-of-mouth among customers, making products well-known to customers and familiar to them.⁴⁷

Advertising campaigns reflect the effectiveness of the message and the means of dissemination, particularly regarding Popularity, which positively impacts the mental image of the target audience for the campaign. Consequently, the brand benefits from such campaigns by increasing product Popularity, sales, and achieving a high competitive position in the markets compared to competitors. Perceived Popularity is considered one of the important assets for companies in complex, turbulent, and competitive markets, as it helps attract customers and increase their trust. For example, Starbucks enjoys strong and highly reputable Popularity in coffee provision, which helps attract new customers seeking a distinctive coffee experience.⁴⁸

Brands gain Popularity through the number of product purchases and customer feedback evaluations, which help increase customer perception and strengthen their attachment. For instance, Amazon uses social media to reach a large audience.⁴⁹ The more a customer perceives the brand, the more willing they are to repurchase its products; when they receive social appreciation and positive feedback, they repeat purchases. Consequently, they recommend the products to others after a positive experience, increasing the brand’s Popularity and building trust while reducing perceived risks.⁵⁰ In light of the above, the researchers define Perceived Popularity as the customer’s evaluation of the level of Popularity of brand products that enjoy wide market spread and are liked by the target audience. This evaluation may result from the customer’s own perceptions or objective measures such as the number of followers or purchasers, enhancing immediate satisfaction and attracting customers to make fast and repeated purchase decisions.

Brand addiction

The concept of brand addiction has received considerable attention among researchers in analyzing the relationship between customers and brands. Despite the limited number of studies that have investigated this field, some researchers still seek to provide a systematic approach to addiction⁸ indicated that the growth of relationships has become a central focus in brand theories, as customers tend to form strong relationships with brands that align with their self-identities. As these relationships increase, feelings of satisfaction transform into high loyalty. The conceptual framework of the relationship has been expanded to go beyond loyalty to include deeper and richer concepts such as brand attachment and love, extending to addiction. Although there is some overlap between these concepts, addiction is considered a notion that surpasses loyalty and behaviors, creating a sense in the customer of the desire to acquire the brand’s products regardless of need.⁵¹ Addiction differs from love and passion in terms of theoretical foundations, as love is less loyal than passion, and passion is less loyal than addiction. Addiction relates to a psychological state involving cognitive and emotional aspects that reflect the relationship between the customer and the brand.⁵² This relationship evokes customer emotions through the provision of products that affect loyalty, and it develops into brand addiction as a strong attachment that contributes to the development of the emotional bond.⁵³

Addicted customers experience feelings of pleasure and comfort from owning addictive brand products and engaging in its activities. This engagement allows for wise decision-making in the purchasing process; as a result, some customers may choose to delay purchases if they perceive that the purchase could lead to debt or financial problems.⁵⁴ Interaction plays an important role in achieving addiction, relating to how customers engage with the brand, whether in a virtual or face-to-face interactive environment. In an interactive environment, customers interact directly with service providers, whereas in a virtual environment, they interact with service providers via live streaming on social media platforms. Service providers use direct product experiences to provide customers with comprehensive information about the product, helping them gain a real understanding of product details and facilitating the customer-brand relationship.^8,55 Defined brand addiction as a psychological state of the customer characterized by mental and behavioral preoccupation with a particular brand, driven by uncontrollable motives to own its products, including positive emotions such as happiness and satisfaction upon purchase, with the feeling that owning the brand’s products enhances their social identity.⁵¹ Defined it as a psychological state associated with the customer due to their attachment to the brand, experiencing satisfaction and happiness toward it, which translates into daily behavior through a continuous desire to purchase its products.¹⁰ Described it as a consumer behavior resulting from the customer-brand relationship, characterized by strong positive emotions and the desire to acquire its products and self-gratification, even if they are not a necessary need. Based on the foregoing, the researchers conclude that brand addiction represents a psychological and emotional phenomenon closely linked to customers’ psychological needs and their emotional relationship with the brand, driven by repeated purchasing behaviors. Customers seek to purchase its products repeatedly and feel that the brand enhances their social identity, providing them with emotional value and social status, thereby strengthening their social position and making them rely on it as a source of immediate emotional and social gratification.

Addiction is characterized by uniqueness and passion. Addicted customers tend to follow brand news, think about it, and support it by spreading positive word-of-mouth and recommending it to others, helping provide a positive experience when interacting with the brand.¹⁰ Addicted customers form strong relationships with the brand, making this relationship part of their comfort zone. They feel comfort, happiness, and pleasure toward that brand, seek to own its products regardless of actual needs, constantly think about everything related to the brand, and encourage others to purchase its products. Conversely, customers may feel anxious if unable to acquire its products, and they tend to allocate part of their income to buying its products.⁵⁶ Addiction plays an important role in distinguishing between needs and desires, which may be difficult for customers to differentiate, helping create a strong emotional relationship between customers and the brand, making them feel comfort, happiness, and self-respect toward it, leading to an uncontrollable desire to obtain its products, which transforms this desire into lasting loyalty.⁵⁷ Furthermore, it helps reduce compulsive buying tendencies, mitigating the negative effects of compulsive purchasing, such as avoiding debt due to the positive effects of addiction. For example, addiction may prevent an individual from engaging in compulsive buying, reducing feelings of guilt or low self-confidence associated with overspending, and functioning as a self-regulation mechanism to avoid unhealthy financial behaviors—for instance, a person excessively spending on luxuries such as the latest electronic devices while neglecting basic needs like paying bills.⁵⁸ Based on the above, the dimensions of brand addiction can be summarized as follows:

Trust is considered a fundamental element to ensure the continuity and growth of the brand. The stronger the customer’s trust, the higher the chances of forming a strong attachment, to the extent that the brand becomes an integral part of their lifestyle. Conversely, if this trust is lost, it becomes difficult for the brand to achieve success and maintain its presence in the market. On the other hand, trust contributes to enhancing the brand’s position and opening new opportunities for its products in various markets.⁶ Building a sustainable and addictive emotional relationship between the customer and the brand requires more than temporary emotional experiences. For instance, Apple continuously releases updates for its smartphones, which makes the customer feel the need to keep up with developments, thereby enhancing their attachment to the brand. This leads to emotional addiction among customers; many eagerly await the launch of new Apple products and feel happiness and pride when purchasing them. Such experiences can serve as an entry point for loyalty. However, maintaining this loyalty requires the brand’s commitment to delivering high-quality products with real value. On the other hand, an excessive focus on emotional marketing without investing in product quality may lead to short-term loyalty, resulting in the loss of loyal customers over the long term, thereby causing trust to erode over time.⁵⁹ Trust plays an essential role in developing addiction by creating a sense of security and enhancing positive feelings among customers, which reduces perceived risks. Consequently, the likelihood of customers choosing the brand’s products increases, and they may overlook issues during purchase processes.⁶⁰ From the above, researchers conclude that trust is a psychological state in which the customer feels secure toward the brand. This state emerges through positive past experiences and immediate satisfaction, making the customer feel comfortable and safe when interacting with the brand, and tending to prefer it over competitors, leading to addiction to the brand’s products.

The concept of customer love for the brand evolved from psychological studies that addressed love between individuals in shaping identity and building social bonds, comparing brand love to interpersonal love, aiming to develop more precise loyalty measures, including emotional connection and positive attitude.⁶¹ Many companies can meet customer needs, but only a few succeed in establishing an emotional relationship. This love forms a strong foundation for loyalty, belonging, and addiction, involving positive evaluation and emotions. Studies have shown that love is an emotion experienced by the customer, developing to a deeper level of appreciation and Liking for the values and principles represented by the brand.⁶² Customer love for the brand motivates repeated purchase behavior, willingness to pay higher prices, and defending it. Moreover, it requires significant attention from companies as a core focus of marketing strategies.⁶³ According to the self-expansion theory, customers are strongly motivated to expand their self-concept, driving them to develop a strong sense of belonging and love toward brands that reflect their identities and values. They become advocates and promoters, and the stronger their attachment, the higher their loyalty.⁶⁴ This emotional attachment leads customers to prefer the brand’s products over others, investing considerable resources to acquire them. Therefore, emotional attachment results in a unique emotional experience, where the customer becomes an emotional partner of the brand, experiencing a distinctive feeling of exclusivity and uniqueness.⁶⁵ In light of this, researchers conclude that brand love refers to the emotional connection felt by the customer toward a particular brand, manifested in positive emotions such as enthusiasm, satisfaction, and strong loyalty, expressed through product preference regardless of alternatives, repeated purchases, recommendations to others, and defending the brand against criticism.

Loyalty is one of the most critical pillars that enhance brand value. When customers hold a positive perception of the brand, their commitment increases, and marketing interactions play an essential role in convincing customers to remain loyal.⁶⁶ Loyalty can be explained from two perspectives. The first suggests that customers may find it difficult to switch brands due to high switching barriers, represented by economic and psychological factors that make moving to a competing brand challenging. The second perspective is based on customer satisfaction, where choosing a competing brand becomes undesirable, and the customer seeks to continue fulfilling the preferred brand.⁶⁷ Customer experience is a key factor in enhancing loyalty and continued consumption of the brand’s products; the higher the satisfaction, the more likely repeat purchases occur. Additionally, product replacement programs offered by companies can increase loyalty by encouraging the use of new products rather than considering switching to competitors.⁶⁸ Loyalty is achieved when the customer consciously evaluates that the brand meets their needs and desires compared to competitors. Furthermore, loyalty strengthens through continuous positive experiences with the brand, increasing especially when the customer becomes more skilled in using the brand’s offers, reducing the likelihood of considering competitors. Hence, the stronger the loyalty, the more reinforced the evaluation becomes over time.⁶⁵ From the above, researchers conclude that loyalty is a psychological, behavioral, and emotional connection between the customer and the brand, shaped through repeated immediate gratification experiences. It is evident in repeated purchase behavior, positive interaction with the brand, recommendations to others, and a strong intention to continue choosing its products regardless of alternatives, reflecting customers’ loyalty and trust in the brand’s value and experience.

Liking represents a unique phenomenon in marketing, where the customer forms an emotional relationship with the brand without concrete reasons for this connection or an actual intention to purchase in the future. For instance, many customers may admire Rolex watches without deeply knowing their features or manufacturing details.⁶⁹ Liking is linked to strong feelings in the customer, even if purchasing the products is financially constrained. This applies to customers in developing countries, where Liking arises for luxury products, believing these companies fulfill their desires and expectations. Even without purchase, loyalty and Liking remain, enhancing psychological addiction.⁷⁰ Customers tend to consume brand products to reinforce their personal identity. When the brand helps them express themselves and achieve ambitions, a strong emotional bond develops, increasing satisfaction and attraction. This enhances customer experience, Liking, and loyalty. Furthermore, it fosters a sense of defending the brand, improving marketing efficiency and brand value^71,72confirmed that Liking results from a unique, distinguished experience; when a brand provides added value, it builds a long-term relationship based on trust and respect, embedding in the customer’s mind that the brand understands and meets their needs, encouraging repeated interaction. Researchers conclude that Liking represents a positive emotional relationship between the customer and the brand, going beyond preference to reach a level of emotional and psychological attachment. This relationship is usually the result of immediate satisfaction or positive experiences through the values offered or product quality aligned with the customer’s personal values, leading to increased loyalty, repeat purchases, and recommendations.

Although customers interact with many companies daily, they develop an emotional attachment to a specific brand. According to attachment theory in psychology, the degree of emotional attachment predicts the nature of an individual’s interaction with the object. For example, when a customer forms an emotional attachment to a brand, they are more likely to show commitment, investment, and financial sacrifices to obtain its products and satisfy their needs.⁷³ Attachment theory, which explains individuals’ innate drive to seek closeness to fulfill psychological needs, is typically used to understand human connections. However, customers can also develop emotional bonds with their preferred brand.⁷⁴ Attachment is directly linked to brand-self connection and reflects the emotional relationship between the customer and the brand. Repeated product use imparts personality to the brand, and the stronger the relationship, the higher the likelihood of addiction to brand products.⁸ Emotional intelligence is essential in shaping customer perception. Brands with emotional intelligence can build trust and credibility in customers’ minds, increasing loyalty. Customers perceive the brand as genuinely caring for their well-being, producing strong emotional attachment.⁵⁹ This attachment develops through repeated long-term interactions; the stronger the attachment, the higher the loyalty, leading to repeated purchase behavior and defending the brand against others,⁷⁵ as it is a key pillar in relationship marketing and a psychological variable reflecting emotional responses to the brand.⁷⁶ Researchers conclude that brand attachment expresses a strong emotional connection between the customer and the brand, exceeding mere product preference, reaching deeper emotional and cognitive attachment levels, integrating the brand into the customer’s self-identity, enhancing loyalty, and prompting defense and promotion of the brand. This is reflected in repeated purchases and consistent positive interaction.

Passion is realized through the customer’s positive emotional stance, manifested in excitement and strong enthusiasm, encompassing self-expression, confidence, and the distinctive identity the brand holds in customers’ minds. When the brand provides symbolic value, the sense of passion may elevate to addiction.⁷⁷ The essence of the customer-brand relationship lies in passion, driving highly motivated customers to form a strong emotional attachment. Often, these customers are driven by strong desires dominating their thoughts, actions, and emotions, complementing their social value. The utilitarian value offered by the brand evokes excitement, especially in long-term relationships, reflecting strong customer attachment and habitual product consumption, with customers striving for self-actualization through brand association, leading to greater emotional passion.⁷⁸ Satisfaction plays a crucial role in building emotional relationships, providing a comprehensive assessment based on purchase and consumption experience, measuring brand performance against repurchase and promotion expectations over time. If customers are satisfied with the brand, they are likely to develop an emotional relationship leading to passion. The higher the satisfaction, the stronger the desire to continue purchasing and passionate engagement.⁷⁹ For example, when OnePlus launched its smartphone (OnePlus 6) combining high specifications with relatively low price, it dominated the smartphone market, employing a scarcity-based marketing strategy. The product was made highly desirable, available only through an invitation system, stimulating passion among fans, resulting in strong and genuine brand loyalty among customers who felt part of it.⁸⁰ This marketing approach emphasizes limited edition products, creating the impression of scarcity and high value, enhancing perceived exclusivity and reinforcing emotional attachment. There is a close relationship between customers’ personal experiences and passion for the brand. Passion is an emotional experience where feelings play a critical role in purchase decisions. When the brand delivers distinctive value or experiences meeting customer expectations, it contributes to forming the customer’s self-identity, initiating brand passion.⁸¹ In summary, passion is a psychological and emotional state experienced toward a brand, surpassing satisfaction to reach deeper loyalty and belonging levels. It manifests in customers’ desire to integrate their self-identity with the brand, motivating investment of emotions and resources in engagement, enhancing continuous loyalty, advocacy, and influence on purchasing behavior, as customers seek immediate gratification through repeated preference even in the presence of competitors.

Research model

The table in Appendix (1) presents the results of testing the main research hypothesis and its sub-hypotheses, showing that the availability of brand leadership dimensions (perceived quality, perceived value, perceived Innovation, perceived Popularity) affects brand addiction. Based on the effect values, the main hypothesis is partially accepted, which states that “the availability of brand leadership in terms of its dimensions (perceived value, perceived Innovation, perceived Popularity) affects brand addiction among Apple customers. Additionally, the availability of brand leadership in terms of its dimensions (perceived quality, perceived Popularity) affects brand addiction among Samsung customers. Furthermore, the availability of brand leadership in terms of its dimensions (perceived quality, perceived Innovation) affects brand addiction among Huawei customers.”

Reviewing the results of testing the sub-hypotheses of the main hypothesis shows that the dimensions of brand leadership (perceived value, perceived Innovation, perceived Popularity) positively affect brand trust among Apple customers, with values of (0.190), (0.297), and (0.332) respectively, all of which are statistically significant, while the dimension of (perceived quality) does not affect brand trust for Apple with a value of (0.036). Conversely, the results indicate that the dimensions of brand leadership (perceived quality, perceived Popularity) positively affect brand trust among Samsung customers with values of (0.362) and (0.425) respectively, which are statistically significant, whereas the dimensions of (perceived value, perceived Innovation) do not affect brand trust for Samsung with values of (-0.037) and (-0.008) respectively. Furthermore, the results show that the dimensions of brand leadership (perceived quality, perceived Innovation) positively affect brand trust among Huawei customers with values of (0.453) and (0.262) respectively, which are statistically significant, while the dimensions of (perceived value, perceived Popularity) do not affect brand trust for Huawei with values of (-0.091) and (0.019) respectively. The table in Appendix (1) illustrates the effect of the dimensions of brand leadership on each dimension of brand addiction for each brand separately.

Research method

This research aims to analyze the role of brand leadership in achieving brand addiction among customers. To achieve this objective, we adopted the descriptive approach through carefully designed electronic questionnaires, distributed via social media platforms to cover a wide segment of the audience. This research tool is ideal for measuring behavioral trends, psychological attitudes, purchasing orientations, as well as consumers’ preferences and intentions toward companies. The study was conducted using a random sampling method to ensure a demographically diverse representation of the research population, with a focus on the Iraqi market. The sample included individuals from various age groups, social backgrounds, income levels, and lifestyles, giving them equal opportunities for selection. In selecting participants, it was ensured that they had high consumer inclinations toward technological companies to guarantee the relevance of the data to the research topic.

The random sampling methodology used provides a rich database that contributes to analyzing patterns of addiction to companies’ products, enhancing the credibility of results through unbiased representation of the target population, and facilitating the generalization of findings at the Iraqi level, thereby offering actionable insights within the context of consumer behavior studies. This approach thus contributes to precise documentation of consumers’ attachment to the brand and provides a methodological framework for understanding the mechanisms of influence exerted by companies in the market.

The research began with a questionnaire including questions measuring perceived quality, perceived value, perceived Innovation, and perceived Popularity, for which we relied on the scale of.⁸² Then, brand addiction was measured using the study of,⁸ which addressed dimensions such as brand trust, love, loyalty, Liking, attachment, and passion. Sample items from each scale can be found in Appendix (5). The questionnaire also included demographic questions such as age, gender, and number of years interacting with the brand’s products to analyze differences across groups.

Given the large size of the surveyed population and the difficulty of fully enumerating it, the researcher employed the principle of good representation, which reflects the true and realistic representation of the study population by involving all societal layers in responding to the questionnaire items, represented by the (customers). The study sample was selected using (Cochran’s: 1977) equation as follows:

n = sample size

t = probability value (0.5)

s = standard score corresponding to confidence level 0.95 = (1.96)

d = margin of error, which is the maximum allowable estimation error (0.05)

The questionnaire was distributed electronically by posting the link in social media groups to obtain the largest possible number of the required sample, exceeding the above number. Accordingly, after distributing the questionnaire, (395) valid customer responses were obtained for analysis.

The descriptive approach was adopted to analyze and describe the phenomenon, where participants read the questions and chose the appropriate answers without any intervention from the researchers, which enhances neutrality. It should be noted, however, that data collection through questionnaires may carry some limitations, such as bias in responses based on personal experiences. Therefore, we ensured designing a clear and easy-to-understand questionnaire to reduce hesitation in participation and ensure response validity. A clarifying introduction was also attached explaining the research objectives and emphasizing data confidentiality, which enhances participants’ trust and encourages accurate and objective responses.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in the study. Participation was voluntary, and respondents were informed about the purpose of the research and their right to withdraw at any time without any consequences. Consent was obtained electronically at the beginning of the questionnaire before participants proceeded to complete the survey.

Discriminant validity test

The discriminant validity matrix was utilized, indicating that the values show each group of observed indicators associated with a latent variable is entirely distinct from groups of observed indicators associated with other latent variables. Discriminant validity was measured using the square root of the Average Variance Extracted (AVE), which are the values shown on the diagonal of the matrix. It should be noted that these values must exceed the correlation coefficients in each corresponding row and column. Table in Appendix (2) shows the discriminant validity correlation values. The results in Table in Appendix (2) indicate their consistency with the recommendation of (Hair et al.: 2019) and support the statistical validity of the discriminant validity of the main study variables.

Study instrument reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha)

Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (α) was used to verify the internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire items, where obtaining (α ≥ 0.70) is considered suitable in administrative sciences (Hair et al.: 2019). Table in Appendix (3) shows the reliability results for this study instrument.

It is evident from the table in Appendix (3) that all Cronbach’s Alpha values for all variables were above 0.70, which is a very acceptable level since it exceeds the threshold recommended by (Hair et al.: 2019). This indicates that, in general, the study instrument enjoys a high degree of reliability and is capable of achieving the study’s objectives.

Recommendations

The surveyed companies should pay adequate attention to brand leadership due to its positive role in achieving brand addiction, as follows:

Companies should enhance requirements for achieving brand addiction due to its effective contribution to developing strong and continuous customer-brand relationships, making the brand an integral part of customers’ daily lives, through the following:

Limitations and further research

This study, despite its contributions, is subject to several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the data were collected from a specific sample of customers, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to broader consumer groups or different cultural contexts. Second, the study relied on self-reported measures, which may introduce response bias or social desirability effects that could influence the accuracy of participants’ answers. Third, the research focused primarily on leadership-related factors within the brand context, while other influential variables—such as brand experience, brand attachment, or consumer personality traits—were not included in the analysis. Additionally, the cross-sectional design of the study restricts the ability to establish causal relationships between brand leadership and brand addiction. Finally, the concept of brand addiction remains relatively new in academic literature, and the available measurement scales may still require further refinement and validation. Future research should seek to address these limitations and deepen understanding of the relationship between brand leadership and brand addiction. First, conducting longitudinal studies would help establish causal pathways and clarify how brand leadership influences consumer behavior over time. Second, researchers are encouraged to include additional psychological and emotional variables—such as brand love, brand trust, or consumer identity—to develop a more comprehensive framework. Third, cross-cultural studies should be conducted to examine whether the effects of brand leadership on brand addiction differ across markets with varying cultural values. Moreover, future work could investigate the potential moderating role of digital engagement, social media influence, or brand communities in strengthening or weakening this relationship. Finally, expanding research to other industry sectors may provide valuable insights into how brand leadership strategies can be optimized to foster healthy and sustainable forms of brand engagement rather than excessive or problematic brand addiction.