Brand Awareness and Consumer Preferences in the Food and Beverage Industry: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

Brand awareness plays a crucial role in shaping consumer preferences, particularly in the food and beverage industry, where choices are influenced not only by functional aspects but also by emotional and social connections. While existing research has focused on the cognitive aspects of brand awareness, there is limited understanding of its deeper emotional and psychological impact on consumer behavior. The gap in literature centers on how brand awareness affects consumer preferences through subjective experiences. Here, we employ a phenomenological approach to explore how consumers’ emotional connections to brands influence their purchasing decisions in this sector. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 participants in March–April 2024 to examine their experiences with brand awareness. The findings reveal that emotional attachments, trust, and personal identity are central to consumer preferences, with brand awareness serving as a tool for decision-making rooted in these deeper connections. Theoretically, this study contributes to consumer behavior literature by highlighting how brand awareness is not merely a cognitive recall mechanism, but a lived experience shaped by emotional resonance and identity alignment. Practically, these findings suggest that marketers should focus on strategies that build emotional connections and foster brand trust to enhance consumer engagement and loyalty. Future research could expand on these findings by exploring the long-term effects of emotional branding and its impact on consumer loyalty.