This paper identifies the key antecedents and moderators with regard to brand attitude and purchase intention of luxury brands. The findings suggest that is a strong importance of status seeking, as well as informational influences towards consumer brand attitude of luxury brands for both subtle and prominent brands. In addition, the moderating results indicate that consumer need for subtle branding only moderated the relationship between informational influences and consumers band attitude for subtly branded luxury products.

This research aims to consider the respective roles of status seeking consumption, interpersonal influence and need for uniqueness, and to set these relationships within a broader theoretical context of the literature on the “extended self” and “self-congruity”. Furthermore, “consumer’s need for subtle branding” (e.g. inconspicuousness of a brand’s mark or logo) is proposed to moderate the relationship between these consumer attitudes toward luxury brands and the purchase intention of luxury brands.