Through Branding and Fan Engagement Strategies: An Analysis of How K-pop Entertainment Companies Influence Consumer Loyalty and Purchasing Behavior

Abstract

The present paper examines the way K-pop entertainment firms have constructed themselves into reputable brands and developed close connections with their fans. It further looks at how artist groups employ various forms of narration to help them win the sympathies of the fans and ensure the group has a long term patronage. Moreover, the strategies of fan engagement, online and offline both, associated with the fan community app, one-on-one chats, fan-meetings, concerts and fan sign events are described in the paper. The analysis associates such strategies with consumer loyalty relying on some simple psychology concepts such as emotional attachment, identity, and repeat purchase. The number of fans who expend a lot of money on events is numerous as they believe they are very close to their idols or they miss something at each successive event. Some recommendations are offered at the end of the paper on how entertainment companies can achieve long-term and stable fan loyalty through launching more low-cost yet engaging activities, as well as attracting new fans. The study is based on the recent works in K-pop marketing and marketing psychology, and online interaction. The results show that strong brand trust, emotion connection, and engaging experiences help to explain why fans continue to support K-pop groups for many years.