Leadership-follower dynamics and behavioral outcomes: investigating the mediating role of brand love

The leadership-citizen relationship remains a critical determinant of supportive behavioral outcomes, especially in emerging settings where the effectiveness of purely rational appeals remains limited. Building upon this context, this study aims to investigate the relationship between a politician leader’s brand personality and followers’ behavioral outcomes due to the emotional bonds that exist between them. A sample of 338 follower respondents from a major South Asian country was surveyed, and the data were analyzed using higher-order structural equation modeling. This study provides novel insights into the mediating role of brand love in the context of political leadership brand personality, particularly within non-Western collectivistic cultures, proposing a culturally nuanced contribution to the leadership and branding literature within the field of management.