How Superhero Characters Shape Brand Alliances and Leverage the Local Brand: The Evidence from Indonesia

Abstract

The success of superhero movies creates the superhero characters as the brand itself, which generates interest for other brands to collaborate by licensing businesses. However, the licensing business faces the challenge of convincing potential partners to use this character to grow the local brand. On another side, local brands keep looking for the advantage to leverage their business. This research aims to analyze the link the consumption value of the superhero characters to the memorable experience of superhero characters used on products and analyze how the conjunction of this experience with the host brand attitude could shape the brand alliance attitude in consumer perspectives. Furthermore, how this brand alliance could drive the willingness to pay more (WTPM) and the positive electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is assessed. This research was conducted using the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that the brand alliance shaped from superhero characters with local brands as host brands has a significant impact on consumer willingness to pay more (WTPM) and eWOM. This study provides managerial implications for both business licensor management and local brand owners, and suggestions for future studies as well.