What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess how consumers' perceptions of brand alignment with social values impact brand loyalty.

March 28, 2026

The social connection index: Do brand values drive loyalty?

Puntos clave

To assess how consumers' perceptions of brand alignment with social values impact brand loyalty.
Introduced the social connection index (SCI) as a framework for evaluation.
Analyzed data from over 4,400 US consumers across eight industries.
Segmented consumers into four types based on emotional connection and brand engagement.
Found significant associations between brand authenticity, trust, empathy, and brand loyalty.
Identified that SCI attributes offer additional explanatory power for brand loyalty beyond traditional factors.
Highlighted the importance of values alignment particularly among high-spend and long-tenure customers.

Resumen

This paper introduces the social connection index (SCI), a multidimensional framework for assessing how consumers perceive a brand’s alignment with social values and how those perceptions influence brand loyalty. Based on data from over 4,400 US consumers across eight industries, the paper posits that attributes such as brand authenticity, trust, empathy and alignment are strongly associated with customer advocacy and repeat behaviour. While traditional factors such as product quality and value remain important, SCI attributes provide additional, significant explanatory power — particularly among high-spend and long-tenure customers. A segmentation model identifies four consumer types — value advocates, social believers, sceptical users and disillusioned consumers — based on their emotional connection and brand engagement. The paper offers a complementary lens to traditional metrics, highlighting the rising importance of values alignment in driving brand loyalty. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.

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