Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

BACKGROUND LITERATURE AND RESEARCH HYPOTHESES 
Researchers have highlighted that attributes of a product alone may not be sufficient to build a strong brand 
(Aaker, 1996; Keller, 1998). As products have moved from a utilitarian perspective to a perspective of consumer-
brand relationships, brand personality seems to be a contemporary tool for destination marketing strategists to use to 
build and enhance tourism destination brand equity (de Chernatony & McEnally, 1999). By endowing a destination 
brand with a unique personality, tourism planners differentiate brands with similar product attributes. Plummer 
(1984) argues that for many product classes, the brand personality is the key element in understanding brand choice. 
Tourism destination brand personality can be developed through a variety of marketing variables, such as user 
imagery, sponsorships, symbols and advertising (Aaker, 1997; Batra et. al, 1993; Levy, 1959). It can be based on 
typical users (tourists that visit the destination) or idealized users (as portrayed in the destination’s advertisements 
and promotion). While user imagery can be an important driving force to visiting decisions, it is also likely to be 
product (or destination) specific. 
In marketing literature several models have been proposed to define brand personality, some of which 
include “brand identity prism”’, “Big Five prototypes” and “ACL” (Kapferer, 1997; John, 1990; Piedmont et al, 
1991). All these models attempt to define traits that are related to the personality of brands. However, they only 
describe the personality traits that are perceived by consumers; they are not described as a set of consistent 
personality dimensions that are available across other brands, and they have never been applied to tourism 
destination brands. As such, Aaker (1997) suggests that brand personality should be defined as “the set of human 
characteristics associated with a given brand”. To bridge this gap, five personality dimensions are introduced, 
namely “sincerity”, “excitement”, “competence”, “sophistication” and “ruggedness”. Derived from 15 personality 
facets of brands, one can further explore how these dimensions of brand personality would increase consumer 

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