The Role of Brand Innovativeness and Sustainability in Building Loyalty

Research on brand innovativeness is gaining traction, with growing interest in its implications for favorable consumer reponses. However, in the eco-conscious era, limited attention has been given to whether the effectiveness of brand innovativeness depends on consumers’ perceptions of a brand’s sustainability values. This study examines the interaction between perceived brand innovativeness and perceived brand sustainability in driving brand loyalty. Using a cross-sectional design and data from consumers of outdoor sports brands, the hypotheses were tested through a PLS-SEM approach. Results indicate that both brand innovativeness and brand sustainability positively influence brand loyalty, with the effect of brand innovativeness being more substantial when brand sustainability is high rather than low. The findings advance the sustainability and innovativeness literature by showing, through a contingency perspective, that brand sustainability functions as a boundary condition for the innovativeness-loyalty linkage. Managerially, the results suggest that sustainability should evolve from a secondary concern to a core element of corporate and marketing strategy.