Leading the Brand: The Influence of CEO branding and CEO gender on Consumer Purchase Intention

In today's digital economy, the role of a chief executive officer (CEO) has evolved from a behind-the-scenes decision-maker into a visible figure whose personal image can significantly influence the opinions and behaviors of consumers. As a result, the concept of CEO branding has come into practice, where CEOs have become more visible, trusted, and authentic. To reveal the effects of the strength of CEO branding and the gender of the CEO on consumer purchase behavior, this study draws from the signaling theory and the role congruity theory. Although prior literature suggests that visible leadership cues can enhance brand trust and loyalty, limited research has explored how these signals interact with gender-based expectations. This thesis investigates the following research question: How do CEO branding strength and CEO gender influence consumer purchase intention? This study addresses this gap by employing a 2x2 between-subjects experimental design (N = 171). Both CEO branding strength (high vs. low) and CEO gender (male vs. female) are manipulated. Participants were exposed to fake CEO profiles and assessed on their purchase intentions on products from those CEOs, using a validated 7-point Likert scale. These theoretical frameworks guided both the experimental design and the interpretation of consumer responses to visible branding cues and gender signals. The findings show a significant main effect of CEO branding: high branding strength leads to higher consumer purchase intention. This is consistent with the signaling theory's premise that visible and high-cost cues signal competence and authenticity. However, CEO gender did not significantly influence consumer purchase intention, nor did it moderate the effect of the branding strength. The results suggest that CEO branding seems to outweigh the gender stereotyping in the context of consumers making a purchase decision. This study contributes to the literature on leadership branding by establishing the influence of CEO branding strength and consumer behavior, regardless of gender. Implications include the importance of developing strong CEO branding strategies that emphasize credibility and digital presence, regardless of the CEO's identity. Future research should explore the impact of additional cues such as race, culture, and real-world brand settings to understand their impact on consumer trust and purchase intention.