Abstract:

Today, there are the effects of messages conveyed by many mass communications studies under the customers' preference for any brand or product. Strategic marketing elements, psychological and sociological factors and perceptions also affect consumers' product or brand preferences. In this study, while the effects of reputation management components on customer preferences were investigated, the contribution of the products and brands (private label) in the retail sector to the preference process of their work with mass media was evaluated with a field study. While the effect of mass communication on consumers is explained by uses and gratification theory, James Fombrun's RQ components are taken into account as reputation components. Within the framework of uses and gratifications theory, the data on the effects of reputation components on consumers' preferences for retail products are discussed in a field study conducted with 600 consumers. The findings obtained in the field research; It is revealed that consumers who are exposed to mass media messages and who shop after being informed are more aware of and attach importance to the features of the brand's reputation in the said messages and in retail environments. Customers determine their chain market brand preferences based on reputation components in the retail sector and state that they shop more regularly and safely from reputable brands.

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