An Empirical Study of Authenticity Dimensions of Local Catering Brands and Its Influence Mechanism on Recommendation Intention in Tourism Context

Abstract

Pertinent evidence clearly shows that food not only meets the basic needs of tourists, but is also an important carrier of the tourist experience. We investigated the type of restaurants that tourists favor. Obtaining tourists' identity from food and beverage brands is crucial. Authenticity has become the standard of purchase as tourists pursue unique cultural experiences. However, research on tourism has paid little attention to brand authenticity. Therefore, this study analyzes the composition of the authenticity dimension of local catering brands in the tourism context and develops a set of reliability and validity scales to explore the impact of brand authenticity on brand identity and word-of-mouth recommendation willingness. Based on brand authenticity theory, this study analyzes the authenticity dimensions of local catering brands. Study 1 found that restaurant brand authenticity can be divided into four dimensions: continuity, credibility, relevance, and originality. Study 2 developed a brand authenticity measurement scale based on the connotation of the four dimensions of brand authenticity combined with interview data and further verified nomological validity. The results showed that the continuity dimension is an important external clue for tourists to identify a brand; however, it does not affect their willingness to recommend it. The relevance dimension favorably affects brand recommendation but does not affect brand identity. This study provides novel insights into the nature of brand authenticity and highlights its importance in branding theory and practice. First, this study developed a brand authenticity scale for food and beverage brands in the context of tourism based on theories of brand authenticity. The authentic content of the brand from a tourist perspective is crucial for tourism management departments and industries. Second, the tourism context provides tourists with a social environment that is substantially different from that of daily life. The travel world, characterized by temporary and off-site characteristics, encourages tourists to pay more attention to brand continuity, credibility, relevance, and originality. In addition, this study confirms that brand authenticity favorably affects brand identity and the willingness to recommend via word-of-mouth. Further analysis showed that the continuity dimension is an important external clue for tourists to recognize the brand; while it does not affect their willingness to recommend, it promotes brand recommendation, but it does not affect brand identity. This study used quantitative research to confirm the relationship between brand authenticity, brand identity, and word-of-mouth recommendations. The results of this study have several practical implications. Therefore, we should aim for the brand's target market, pay attention to how tourists in the target market define the authenticity of the brand and the relationship between lifestyle and the brand, and establish an effective marketing strategy. Specifically, the brand's continuity, credibility, relevance, and originality were further enhanced in four dimensions. In addition, the brand authenticity scale in the tourism context can be used to measure and compare the differences in brand authenticity of different types of restaurants and can create brand authenticity rankings to guide tourists' consumption.

Keywords

• local catering brand
• authenticity
• brand identity
• word of mouth recommendation
• tourism context