Testing Evolutionary Psychology as a Foundation for Strategic Brand Building

Abstract

This Work-in-Progress study conducts a theory-guided exploratory mapping of brand-following motives onto evolutionary motive systems (prestige/status, affiliation/belonging, resource security/trust, and leadership/followership). The purpose is to provide initial, preliminary evidence on whether brand-following motivations show patterns consistent with evolved coordination motives, and to outline implications for strategic knowledge management (KM). Building on the knowledge-based view, the study treats brands as socially distributed knowledge assets that compress reputational information and reduce uncertainty. Evolutionary psychology provides a candidate mechanism for why such symbolic knowledge structures scale and persist. Empirical evidence comes from a survey of marketing students (N = 113; Bachelor n = 37; Master n = 76). Respondents named a brand they actively follow and evaluated motivational drivers of that behavior. Motivations were grouped into four theory-derived clusters: resource security/trust, prestige/status, affiliation/belonging, and leadership/inspiration. Descriptive comparisons across educational levels and brand categories provide preliminary pattern evidence. Results suggest that brand following is not explained by security/trust motives alone: social-symbolic motives (prestige, belonging, and leadership) appear salient alongside trust/security. As a WIP contribution, the paper offers a focused empirical proof-of-concept and a lean theoretical bridge, with deeper KM integration planned after conference feedback.