Building brand equity in this competitive environment is a very challenging and difficult task. Companies are now focused on meeting customers’ imminent desires by providing appropriate experiences. This study explores the association between brand equity dimensions, overall brand equity and customer satisfaction based on David Aaker’s brand equity model, in the context of branded shoes market in Pakistan. The data obtained from 75 respondents through a survey was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results establish significant association between three dimensions of brand equity, customer satisfaction and overall brand equity.

The concept of brand equity was brought to light initially in the late 1980s. Brand equity is an intangible asset which creates an association between the brand and its consumers. Brand equity can be viewed from three perspectives—financial, brand extension and the consumer. In this research, we focus on the consumer perspective. According to Keller (2003), “the power of a brand lies in what customers have learned, felt, seen, and heard about the brand as a result of their experiences over time.” One way of knowing how customers are familiar with the brand is through brand equity. According to David Aaker, brand equity has four dimensions—brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand association and perceived quality. He states that “brand equity helps the customer to interpret and process information about the product, and also affects the customer’s confidence in the purchase decision and the quality of user experience.”

The branded shoes market in Pakistan is facing a challenging environment due to growing competition and increasing number of brands. A large number of branded shoes are competing in the market, and customers are showing increasing preference for branded shoes. Companies are therefore more focused on establishing a strong brand identity for their products in order to attract customers and build customer satisfaction. Brand equity research plays a vital role in helping brand managers to build brand equity and gain competitive advantage. This research studies the association between brand equity dimensions, overall brand equity and customer satisfaction.

Brand Management Journal, Brand Equity, Brand Loyalty, Hypotheses Development, Brand Association, Customer Satisfaction, Empirical Study, David Aaker’s Brand Equity Model.