Volume 2 Issue 4 | 2025 | View PDF
Paper Id:IJMSM-V2I4P133
doi: 10.71141/30485037/V2I4P133

From Denim to Desire: The Role of Emotional Branding in Shaping Luxury Perceptions of Levi’s in Coimbatore

Dr. Karthika Murugan, Keerthana, Bala Mirthula

Citation:
Dr. Karthika Murugan, Keerthana, Bala Mirthula, "From Denim to Desire: The Role of Emotional Branding in Shaping Luxury Perceptions of Levi’s in Coimbatore" International Journal of Multidisciplinary on Science and Management, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 319-329, 2025.

Abstract:
In a fiercely competitive fashion marketplace, brands rely increasingly on emotional connections, rather than functional differentiation, as a pathway to enhanced consumer perceptions and brand value. This paper explores how emotional branding strategies shape the luxury perceptions of a traditionally mass-market denim brand. It focuses, within key emotional branding elements, on storytelling and nostalgia for an understanding of their impact on brand attachment and consumer perceptions of luxury and brand desirability. A quantitative research design was adopted, where a structured questionnaire was used to survey 175 consumers of Levi's through convenience sampling in Coimbatore. The SPSS statistical tool was utilized for the purpose of data analysis, employing correlation and regression along with mediation analysis. Very strong and significant associations are revealed among the variables of storytelling, nostalgia, brand attachment, and luxury perception. Regression results show that storytelling has a significant direct impact on luxury perception, while brand attachment is a strong predictor of luxury perception and partially mediates the association between storytelling and luxury perception. Nostalgia also shows a substantial association with both brand attachment and luxury perception, reinforcing its role as a powerful emotional cue. The study concludes that Levi's effectively uses emotional branding to communicate aspirational and premium brand meanings without compromising its mass-market positioning. Precisely, Levi's combines the elements of heritage and nostalgia with emotionally captivating stories, which amplify brand attachment and ultimately drive increased perceived luxury. This study contributes to branding literature by showing how emotional branding may help redefine perceptions of luxury within non-traditional luxury brands and by providing practical implications for marketers seeking to balance affordability with aspirational appeal.

Keywords: Consumer Perceptions, Emotional Branding, and Luxury Perception.

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