Brand Humanization and Women’s Loyalty in Clothing Stores, Chimbote 2025 ()
1. Introduction
In an increasingly competitive and emotionally oriented market, brand humanization has become a key strategy for generating lasting bonds with consumers, especially in sectors where emotional connection is crucial, such as women’s fashion. Brand humanization refers to the process by which brands adopt human characteristics, such as personality, emotions, and values, to build closer and more authentic relationships with their audiences (Puzakova, Kwak, & Rocereto, 2013). This strategy is particularly effective for female consumers, who tend to value emotional relationships with the brands they frequent (Fournier, 1998; Thomson, MacInnis, & Park, 2005).
In the field of clothing stores, where the purchasing process goes beyond a simple transaction and becomes a sensorial and emotional experience, brand humanization can significantly influence customer perception and loyalty. Women, as a target audience, not only seek fashionable products but also value brands that reflect their values, aspirations, and lifestyle (Batra, Ahuvia, & Bagozzi, 2012). When a brand manages to project a relatable and authentic personality, consumers tend to develop an emotional bond that can translate into loyalty and repeat purchases (Delgado-Ballester & Fernández-Sabiote, 2016).
This emotional bond, a result of humanization, manifests itself in positive attitudes such as preference, favorable word-of-mouth, and resistance to switching brands—key elements for loyalty in the competitive fashion market. Therefore, understanding how brand humanization influences women’s loyalty in clothing stores is essential for designing more effective marketing strategies focused on the customer experience.
Brand humanization involves establishing lasting and mutually rewarding connections with customers, with the goal of maintaining and expanding business by building strong relationships across economic, technical, and social aspects between the parties involved (Kotler & Keller, 2006). Brand humanization was measured using a Likert scale in a 10-item questionnaire and was determined by its dimensions: appearance, moral virtue, cognitive experience, and conscious emotionality.
Its dimensions represent different expressions of the degree to which customers view a brand as a human entity. Appearance relates to the perception of external characteristics that resemble human ones, such as morphological similarities, while the other three dimensions are based on different types of perceptions about mental states. In particular, the moral virtue dimension assesses consumers’ willingness to consider the brand as an ethical entity. Cognitive experience refers to how they perceive the brand as competent to engage in various cognitive functions, such as demonstrating free will, thinking, and reasoning. Finally, the conscious emotionality dimension measures how they perceive the brand as capable of experiencing cognitively complex emotions, such as shame and guilt (Golossenko et al., 2020).
Customer loyalty refers to a business strategy focused on retaining current customers based on ongoing positive experiences, purchasing products or services in specific situations, thus fostering customer trust and strengthening brand reputation (Muriel, 2020).
Its dimensions of customer retention are based on the theory presented by Ambrocio (2021), who proposed a construct composed of four different aspects. The first dimension, differentiation, refers to the distinctive element of a company compared to its competitors, the evaluation made of the variety, price, and benefits that a product or service offers compared to those of its competitors. The second dimension, called personalization, focuses on the recognition that customers have for the company.
These can identify the company through distinctive markers. The third dimension, satisfaction, is linked to the degree to which a product’s perceived performance matches the consumer’s expectations. The fourth dimension, loyalty, relates to commitment to the company. Finally, the fifth dimension, repeat business, involves a customer’s repeat business with a company.
2. Methodology
This research was applied, based on theories and previous studies by various authors who offered their perspectives on the variable under study (Vargas, 2009). It also had a quantitative approach, as an online questionnaire was administered. The variable of interest was measured through numerical values, using statistical methods that included mathematical procedures, percentages, and levels (Hernández et al., 2014). The design was non-experimental, as it does not involve the intentional manipulation of variables by researchers or the observation of the effects on variables in a controlled environment. The design was cross-sectional, as data were collected at a specific time or over a short period of time to examine a specific group of people or a specific sample (Hernández et al., 2014). Consequently, a correlational approach was achieved, as this study sought to determine the correlation between brand humanization and customer loyalty.
Regarding the population and sample, a non-probability sample was used at the researcher’s convenience, with a total of 410 women.
Instrument: We used surveys as a data collection technique, with a questionnaire consisting of 24 questions. These questions are grouped into two variables. The Brand Humanization variable covers the dimensions of Appearance (3 questions), Moral Virtue (2 questions), Cognitive Experience (2 questions), and Conscious Emotionality (3 questions). The Customer Loyalty variable includes the dimensions of Differentiation (3 questions), Satisfaction (4 questions), Personalization (2 questions), Loyalty (2 questions), and Habituality (3 questions), which will be answered using a Likert-type scale.
3. Results
Table 1 indicates that, with a 95% confidence interval (NC), Sig. (0.00) < 0.05, and Spearman’s rho = 0.793, we can assert that there is a very strong correlation between the variables, meaning that brand humanization is related to customer loyalty in women’s clothing stores.
Table 1. Correlation between brand humanization and customer loyalty.
Correlations |
Customer Loyalty |
Rho de Spearman |
Brand humanization |
Correlation coefficient |
0.793** |
Sig. (bilateral) |
0.000 |
N |
410 |
**The correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed). Note: SPSS V26 Software Database.
Table 2. Level of brand humanization perceived by women’s clothing store customers.
Brand Humanization |
Frequency |
Percentage |
Low |
169 |
41.2% |
Medium |
98 |
23.9% |
High |
143 |
34.9% |
Total |
410 |
100.0% |
Note: SPSS V26 Software Report.
Table 2 shows that the level of the variable is “low,” as represented by 41.2% of the customers surveyed. 34.9% rate it as “high,” while 23.9% find it at the “medium” level. This means that customers believe that clothing stores have failed to establish an authentic brand personality and thus establish emotional bonds with them.
Table 3. Loyalty level of women’s clothing store customers.
Customer loyalty |
Frequency |
Percentage |
Low |
174 |
42.4% |
Medium |
91 |
22.2% |
High |
145 |
35.4% |
Total |
410 |
100.0% |
Note: SPSS V26 Software Report.
It is observed that (Table 3) the level of loyalty is “low,” as indicated by 42.4% of the customers surveyed. 35.4% consider it to be “high,” while 22.2% consider it to be “medium.” Therefore, we can decipher that companies lack the capacity to establish an emotional relationship that allows them to retain their existing customers and encourage them to purchase their products repeatedly compared to the competition.
Table 4. Correlation between brand humanization and loyalty satisfaction.
Correlations |
Satisfaction |
Rho de Spearman |
Brand humanization |
Correlation coefficient |
0.785** |
Sig. (bilateral) |
0.000 |
N |
410 |
**The correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed). Note: SPSS V26 Software Report.
It is evident that at the 95% confidence level and Sig. <0.05, and Spearman’s Rho = 0.785 (Table 4), there is a very strong positive correspondence between the elements. This means that brand humanization is related to customer satisfaction in women’s clothing stores in Chimbote 2025.
These data are based on the literature presented by Mondragón in 2018, which states that strategies focused on ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty encompass several key aspects; for example, seeking to retain customers through business relationships based on trust and mutual commitment, which results in high customer satisfaction; also ensuring that consumers feel satisfied and happy with the products they have purchased; and finally, stimulating a positive word-of-mouth effect generated by satisfied customers, which in turn can attract new customers interested in experiencing what the brand offers.
Previous studies on the relationship between symbolic consumption and satisfaction in various industries have highlighted the importance of congruence between the consumer’s self-image and the brand. Guzmán et al. (2023) mention that, in the sports industry, brand loyalty has traditionally been explained through variables such as satisfaction, service quality, commitment, and trust, without considering other variables analyzed in the field of marketing. Likewise, Grace et al. (2020) tell us that a deep understanding of the complications that arise between the consumer and the brand is of utmost importance. However, it is essential to measure these relationships in a meaningful way so that marketing experts can develop effective strategies precisely tailored to market needs, achieving customer satisfaction. In terms of positioning, a strategic approach is needed, promoting a quality service unique compared to the competition and thus establishing the company as a prestigious and preferred brand in the market, they indicated (Silvera Ortiz, 2019).
In today’s institutions, administrative management is deficient in various areas due to a lack of communication between the institution’s business owners and its membership department. This situation represents a challenge for long-term sustainability, as current administrative management could become a threat to some existing companies (Panduro et al., 2020). For this reason, modern consumers are increasingly active, seeking personalization, and are willing to express their opinions about their experience with companies. By incorporating blogging into their practices, companies transform their communication into a two-way model. This creates a close connection with customers and allows for an immediate response to any issues that may arise, says Zárate (2008).
In the context of social media, García & Ricart (2009) tell us that consumers and users have the power to decide how they want to interact with companies. Consequently, it is essential to tailor our messages to meet their needs and preferences, which is critical for customer satisfaction. Highlighting both theoretical and practical implications in the field of branding, they highlight the importance of different attributes in creating popularity and how this impacts marketers’ strategies on sharing economy platforms (Mauricio et al., 2018). In a practical sense, it is observed that the technological preparation of online tourists plays a crucial role in moderating the effects of a digital experience that humanizes the brand of an eco-destination (Huang & Liu, 2021). Furthermore, Penttinen (2023) points out how parasocial interaction, that is, the relationship between consumers and media personalities, influences consumer trust in shared information. This interaction has a positive effect on consumers’ brand loyalty, attitudes, and purchasing intentions, thus underscoring the importance of digital interactions in building customer trust and satisfaction.
Table 5. Correlation between brand humanization and differentiation in loyalty.
Correlations |
Differentiation |
Rho de Spearman |
Brand humanization |
Correlation coefficient |
0.836** |
Sig. (bilateral) |
0.000 |
N |
410 |
**The correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed). Note: SPSS V26 Software Database.
The data obtained indicate that, with a 95% confidence level and significance <0.05, and Spearman’s rho = 0.836 (Table 5), we can attest to a very strong positive relationship between the variable and the dimension; that is, brand humanization is related to customer differentiation in women’s clothing stores in Chimbote 2025.
These data are based on what Guthrie (1997) stated, stating that purchasing differentiation among customers is evident. He explains that differentiation can be described as a more precise form of expectation, a kind of involuntary perception tactic in which people unconsciously tend to assume or expect that ambiguous or important stimuli exhibit some type of human origin or appearance.
This thus becomes a powerful tool in the brand humanization strategy. By attributing human characteristics to non-human elements of the brand, including aspects related to behavior, intentions, and thinking, according to Peláez (2018), consumers establish stronger emotional connections. People tend to trust and feel more comfortable with entities they can associate with human characteristics, which contributes to the development of emotional attachment to the brand. This phenomenon is reflected in various communication strategies. For example, email campaigns become a crucial space for conveying the brand’s personality and values, communicating the message in the first person. Even communication through blogs and brand pages on platforms like Facebook creates an environment conducive to establishing genuine conversations between individuals and the brand, which favors the development of anthropomorphic thinking toward the brand (Delgado et al., 2017).
As a result, people tend to perceive the anthropomorphized brand as a trustworthy relationship partner, which translates into greater interaction and engagement, as evidenced by the number of likes on their posts compared to a non-anthropomorphized brand (Kim et al., 2020). Consumer perception of a brand is significantly shaped when, through its own communication, the brand exhibits characteristics similar to those of a human personality. In this process, the brand indirectly reveals the type of person it represents. A critical factor in the construction of this personality is the communication style adopted by the brand, which plays an essential role in shaping this perception by the consumer (Baños & Rodríguez, 2012).
Table 6. Correlation between brand humanization and personalization in loyalty.
Correlations |
Personalization |
Rho de Spearman |
Brand humanization |
Correlation coefficient |
0.684** |
Sig. (bilateral) |
0.000 |
N |
410 |
**The correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed). Note: SPSS V26 Software Database.
We observed that with a 95% confidence level and Sig. < 0.05, Spearman’s Rho = 0.684 (Table 6), indicating a considerable positive similarity between the components. Finally, brand humanization is related to customer personalization in women’s clothing stores in Chimbote 2025.
This data is based on the findings of Nina Egocheaga (2023), who indicates that today’s customers seek to experience emotions through moving messages that allow them to relive positive moments from the past or present, with the goal of creating a lasting connection with the brand. For this reason, companies strive to convey messages that endure over time and generate emotional loyalty with consumers. This is why Aaker (2012) highlights in his arguments the crucial importance of brands projecting a humanized or personalized image, as this makes them inherently more attractive, credible, and memorable for their customers. In this context, brands seeking to adopt this personalization must thoroughly understand the process of co-creating brand meaning (Fernandes et al., 2022).
This process not only allows them to authentically connect with their audience but is also important in fostering brand loyalty and building strong relationships (Anderski et al., 2023). Choosing a brand is a crucial factor for consumers when making a purchase, as it simplifies the decision-making process. These emotional connections facilitate and reinforce positive customer behaviors over time (Cardoso et al., 2022). Likewise, Salas Canales (2017) gives us an example of how public and private schools are ideal contexts for applying relationship marketing, since, in these organizations, leaders and employees must maintain positive relationships with parents, students, and the community. For Berger (2016), people have a natural tendency to feel more identified and close to that which is transparent and clear in its communication. Brands that opt for transparency and honesty in their relationships with customers are more likely to be perceived as trustworthy and worthy of their audience’s trust. A crucial element in this strategy is fostering brand attachment.
This attachment manifests itself in an increase in the willingness of customers to purchase products or services from that particular brand, which not only translates into additional income for the brand, but also creates opportunities to strengthen its market positioning and even further its brand image (Osorio et al., 2023).
Table 7. Correlation between brand humanization and loyalty.
Correlations |
Loyalty |
Rho de Spearman |
Brand humanization |
Correlation coefficient |
0.761** |
Sig. (bilateral) |
0.000 |
N |
410 |
**The correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed). Note: SPSS V26 Software Database.
With a 95% confidence level and Sig. < 0.05, Spearman’s rho = 0.761, it was evident that there is a very strong positive relationship between the variable and the dimension (Table 7). This means that brand humanization is related to customer loyalty in women’s clothing stores in Chimbote 2025.
These findings are based on the literature presented by Alegre & Pajares (2021), who indicate that: today, organizations find themselves in an increasingly competitive market, which means that attracting new customers is more challenging due to the abundance of similar products and services. Conversely, it is easier to retain existing customers, given that they already have experience with the brand and the products or services it provides. Customer retention and loyalty have become a pressing need that has been elevated to the top priority category (Acuña & Segura, 2022).
A loyalty strategy that focuses on establishing long-lasting relationships places a strong emphasis on personalization, which translates into cordial and empathetic customer service. This strategy also focuses on ensuring customer satisfaction with the quality and service offered. It also seeks to encourage repeat purchases by building brand trust, resulting in ongoing customer loyalty (Barreto & Rengifo, 2017). This strong bond is essential to ensuring the long-term permanence of the relationship (Villarejo Ramos, 2001; Albujar, 2016). Maintaining this relationship with customers involves providing improved service and constantly introducing innovative products that are aligned with the latest market trends (López & Sernaqué, 2015; Barreto & Caballero, 2018).
Some companies have achieved customer loyalty through satisfaction and the emotional strengthening of the relationship. Furthermore, it is crucial to understand that quality is not limited to meeting the fundamental characteristics of a product or service, which are considered natural aspects. What is truly significant is the manner and timing of the product or service’s delivery, as this has a direct impact on how its value, quality, level of service, and fairness of price are perceived. This involves providing memorable experiences, having loyal employees, utilizing an appropriate customer relationship management system, and applying technology-based segmentation. These factors have proven to be key to building lasting and meaningful customer relationships in today’s market, as Alcaide (2016) mentions in his book on customer loyalty.
Likewise, Smith (2002) provides a clearer example of how fostering customer loyalty not only benefits the organization but also the customers themselves by establishing relationships with suppliers who understand their needs and preferences. Ferré Trenzano & Ferré Nadal (1997) indicate that programs to retain and build customer loyalty are also applicable to customers and have the main objective of preventing customers from stopping buying our products and opting for those of the competition. This is achieved through loyalty, offering concrete reasons for the customer to continue with us and perceive that we are the best option for them.
Table 8. Correlation between brand humanization and loyalty retention.
Correlations |
Habituality |
Rho de Spearman |
Brand humanization |
Correlation coefficient |
0.546** |
Sig. (bilateral) |
0.000 |
N |
410 |
**The correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed). Note: SPSS V26 Software Database.
At the 98% confidence level, Sig. < 0.05, Rho = 0.546, a significant positive relationship was found between the variable and the dimension (Table 8). This means that brand humanization is related to customer frequency in women’s clothing stores in Chimbote 2025.
The findings are based on the literature presented by Sehgal et al. (2023), who assert that the key to successful anthropomorphization lies in getting people to perceive human traits in brands and connect with them. This results in the formation of strong connections that contribute to customer loyalty (Franco, 2018), thereby facilitating repurchase intentions. Thus, both humanized brands and a company’s habitualness depend on this process, since to create humanized brands, a distinctive habitualness is needed, and, reciprocally, for a company to give its brand a personality, it must first embark on the humanization process (Hannis, 2021).
These strategies not only increase customer retention but also strengthen brand image, generate positive recommendations, and create a solid foundation for continued growth. Ultimately, investing in brand humanization is an investment in the future and sustainability of the business, establishing a solid foundation for long-term success. A brand with appropriate branding is distinguished by having a distinctive and easily recognizable identity. This identity is not only clear but also innovative, allowing the public to effectively understand its meaning (Aylas Hilario & García Plasencia, 2022). Furthermore, Bautista & Orosco (2019) indicate that emotional branding fosters a connection between the brand and its target audience. This is achieved by creating specific adaptations for various consumer groups, implementing intuitive and emotional tactics, and facilitating user interaction.
4. Conclusion
After conducting the study on the variable “brand humanization” and loyalty in women’s clothing stores, it can be concluded that there is a very strong relationship between the two variables.
The level of humanization of this variable is low, as represented by 41.2% of surveyed customers; 34.9% consider it high, while 23.9% find it average. This means that customers believe that clothing stores have failed to establish an authentic brand personality and thus establish emotional bonds with them.
The level of loyalty is low, as represented by 42.4% of surveyed customers; 35.4% consider it high, while 22.2% consider it average. Therefore, we can decipher that companies lack the ability to establish an emotional relationship that allows them to retain their existing customers and make them return to buy their products repeatedly compared to the competition.
5. Limitations
This study presents certain limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results: a non-probability convenience sample of female consumers of clothing stores was used, which limits the possibility of generalizing the findings to the entire female population or to other market sectors. This selection may have influenced the reported perceptions of brand humanization and its impact on customer loyalty.