Multi-brand loyalty in Morocco: Exploratory study

Abstract

This article investigates multi-brand loyalty (MBL) and examines its main determinants in the Moroccan context. Building on loyalty research, the study explores why consumers distribute their loyalty across multiple competing brands rather than remaining exclusively loyal to one.

A comprehensive literature review synthesized prior work on MBL and commonly cited antecedents across sectors. To complement these insights, we conducted semi-structured interviews in average 60 minutes each with fifteen marketing and CRM experts working in multiple sectors in Morocco between July and September 2024. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis.

Findings indicate that MBL is widespread in the Moroccan market across multiple sectors and is understood by interviewed experts as a dual construct with behavioral and attitudinal to several brands within the same competing category. Experts consistently highlighted six determinants: diversity of needs, availability-risk reduction, perceived freedom, promotional offers, loyalty programs proliferation, and privacy concerns. Together, these results underscore the contextual nature of MBL and invite managers to rethink loyalty as portfolio management rather than exclusively.

The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of multi-brand loyalty and provides managerial implications for firms seeking to design effective multi-loyalty strategies adapted to dynamic and competitive markets.

The study nevertheless has limitations: the small, expert-only sample restricts generalizability; additional qualitative work with consumers and a subsequent quantitative study would help explore other factors and measure the impact of the identified determinants.

Keywords : Multi-brand loyalty, qualitative study, relationship marketing, consumer behavior

Classification JEL : M31, B41

Paper type : Empirical Research