Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh citra merek mewah terhadap preferensi konsumen. Citra merek mewah diketahui mampu memenuhi kebutuhan konsumen akan status sosial dan kekayaan melalui aura kesuksesan dan kemakmuran yang dipancarkan pada penggunanya (Mandel, Petrova, & Cialdini, 2006; Heine & Trommsdorff, 2010). Lebih jauh, Public self-consciousness diduga mampu meningkatkan efek pengaruh citra merek mewah terhadap preferensi konsumen karena dapat membuat seseorang lebih sensitif terhadap pendapat orang lain sehingga cenderung menyesuaikan standar diri dengan standar sosial yang ada (Kassin, Fein, & Markus, 2013). Penelitian ini adalah penelitian eksperimental dengan desain 2 (citra merek: mewah vs non-mewah, within) x 2 (isi kopi: ditukar vs asli, between) mixed design. Dalam penelitian ini, digunakan produk berupa kopi dengan dua merek yang memiliki citra mewah dan non-mewah. Partisipan (n = 63) diminta memberikan rating kopi dan menentukan pilihan di antara kedua merek yang ada. Kemudian efek moderasi dari public self-consciousness diukur menggunakan Revised Self-Consciousness Scale yang dikembangkan oleh Scheier dan Carver (1985). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa merek dengan citra mewah mendapatkan skor rating kopi yang lebih tinggi dari merek non-mewah secara signifikan, F (1,61) = 25,142; p < 0,01; η2 = 0,292. Sebaliknya, tingkat public self-consciousness tidak memprediksi pengaruh citra merek terhadap rating kopi mewah, R2 = 0,003; F(1,61) = 0,212, p > 0,05 maupun non-mewah, R2 = 0,007; F(1,61) = 0,414, p > 0,05. Oleh karena itu, dapat disimpulkan bahwa citra merek mewah mempengaruhi preferensi konsumen secara, namun tidak dimoderasi oleh public self-consciousness.

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The objective of this study was to determine the effect of luxury brand image to consumer preferences. The image of the luxury brand known to met consumer needs for social status and wealth through the aura of success and prosperity which its emitted at (Mandel, Petrova, and Cialdini, 2006; Heine & Trommsdorff, 2010). Furthermore, public self-consciousness thought to be able to increased the effect of the luxury brand image influence on consumer preferences because it could make a person more sensitive to other people's opinions that tend to adjust themselves to the standard of the existing social standards (Kassin, Fein, & Markus, 2013). This study was an experimental research with 2 (brand image: luxury vs. non-luxury, within) x 2 (content of coffee: original vs. exchanged, between) mixed design. In this study, coffee products with two different brands that has an image of luxury and non-luxury were used. Participants (n = 63) were asked to give ratings of coffee and chose between the two existing brands. Then the moderating effect of public self-consciousness was measured using the Revised Self-Consciousness Scale developed by Scheier and Carver (1985). The results in this study showed that the brand with luxury image got a significantly higher coffee rating score than non-luxury brands, F (1,61) = 25.142; p <0.01; η2 = 0.292. In contrast, the level of public self-consciousness does not predict the effect of brand image on luxury coffee rating, R2 = 0.003; F (1,61) = 0.212, p> 0.05 and non-luxury, R2 = 0.007; F (1,61) = 0.414, p> 0.05. Therefore, it could be concluded that the image of the luxury brand affected consumer preferences, but were not moderated by the public self-consciousness.