Introduction and Purpose: Brand equity has emerged as one of the most critical intangible assets for organizations, playing a strategic role in creating sustainable competitive advantage and enhancing customer loyalty (Aaker, 1991; Keller, 2003). While classical brand equity models have significantly contributed to understanding customer-based brand equity through dimensions such as brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty, these approaches primarily focus on cognitive and behavioral aspects, neglecting deeper layers of meaning and identity that play decisive roles in cultural and religious contexts. In recent years, brand spirituality has emerged as a new paradigm, with studies indicating that brands aligned with consumers'' inner beliefs experience higher levels of trust and attachment (Wang et al., 2018). Brand spirituality refers to consumers'' perceptions of the ethical, sacred, and transcendent values embodied by a brand, extending beyond its functional performance. Despite growing research on brand spirituality, this concept has yet to find a well-defined position within brand equity models. The lack of frameworks capable of assessing components such as sacredness and inspiration has limited the ability of existing models to evaluate religious and cultural brands, a gap that is particularly evident in societies with strong religious backgrounds, such as Iran. The "Razavi Brand," originating from Astan Quds Razavi and associated with Imam Reza (AS), represents a prominent example of a religious-cultural brand, with a significant portion of its value rooted in spiritual meaning and sacredness. While previous research has developed a model for evaluating spirituality-based brand equity comprising four dimensions—Brand Holiness (Halit), Brand Sacredness, Brand Responsibility, and Brand Inspirationality—the next critical step is to prioritize these dimensions. Given the limited organizational resources, understanding which dimensions warrant priority investment can lead to optimal resource allocation and more effective strategy formulation. Therefore, this study aims to prioritize the dimensions and components of spirituality-based brand equity in the Razavi Brand. The specific research questions are: (1) What is the priority of each of the four dimensions of spirituality-based brand equity (Holiness, Sacredness, Responsibility, and Inspirationality) in the Razavi Brand? (2) How can managers of the Razavi Brand optimize their marketing and branding approaches based on this prioritization?
Methodology: This research employs an exploratory mixed-methods approach with a descriptive-survey design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 marketing and branding experts selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis with MAXQDA 2020. Lincoln and Guba''s (1985) criteria—credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability—were employed to ensure research trustworthiness. Additionally, the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) were calculated, and Cohen''s Kappa coefficient was used to assess inter-coder reliability. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population consisted of Razavi Brand customers (pilgrims and residents) aged 15 years and older. A sample of 384 respondents was determined using Cochran''s formula with a 5% margin of error. Systematic sampling was employed, and data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire based on the conceptual model. Content validity was confirmed through expert judgment, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach''s alpha, yielding an overall value of 0.92. Prior to analysis, data normality was assessed using skewness and kurtosis indices. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to confirm the factor structure, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) using the maximum likelihood estimation method and SPSS and AMOS software. Composite Reliability (CR) and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) were calculated to assess convergent validity.
Findings: Qualitative analysis revealed that spirituality-based brand equity consists of four main dimensions. Brand Holiness includes four components: Tayyib (purity), compliance with Sharia principles, respect for consumer rights, and respect for employee rights. Brand Sacredness comprises three components: brand blessedness (Tabarrok), religious association, and sacred visual identity. Brand Responsibility encompasses four components: social, economic, legal, and environmental responsibility. Brand Inspirationality includes five components: ethical values, emotional connection, purposefulness, positive customer experiences, and storytelling. A total of 61 indicators were extracted. Quantitative findings showed that, among the 384 respondents, 60% were male and 40% female, while 64% were residents and 32% were pilgrims. The largest age group (41%) was 35–44 years, and over 80% of respondents reported medium to high familiarity with the Razavi Brand. PCA results confirmed the four-dimensional structure, explaining 72% of the total variance. Structural equation modeling demonstrated acceptable model fit indices (CFI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.09, SRMR = 0.056), confirming the validity of the model. All dimensions and components were significant at the 5% level, with factor loadings exceeding 0.7. Convergent validity was confirmed, with Composite Reliability (CR > 0.7) and Average Variance Extracted (AVE > 0.5) for all dimensions. Regarding the prioritization of dimensions, Brand Inspirationality had the highest coefficient (0.917), followed by Brand Sacredness (0.831), Brand Responsibility (0.759), and Brand Holiness (0.732). Thus, Inspirationality ranked first, Sacredness second, Responsibility third, and Holiness fourth. At the component level, within Inspirationality, "ethical values" ranked first (0.894), followed by "emotional connection" (0.693), "purposefulness" (0.679), "positive experiences" (0.506), and "storytelling" (0.426). Within Sacredness, "religious association" ranked first (0.938), followed by "sacred visual identity" (0.824) and "brand blessedness" (0.689). Within Responsibility, "legal responsibility" ranked first (0.821), followed by "environmental responsibility" (0.720), "social responsibility" (0.702), and "economic responsibility" (0.539). Within Holiness, "compliance with Sharia principles" ranked first (0.781), followed by "Tayyib" (0.731), "consumer rights" (0.609), and "employee rights" (0.512).
Discussion and Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the dimensions of spirituality-based brand equity are not equally important. Brand Inspirationality emerged as the highest priority, consistent with Wang et al. (2018, 2019), suggesting that Razavi Brand customers seek meaningful, transcendent experiences beyond ordinary functional benefits. This dimension develops when the brand institutionalizes ethical values, establishes deep emotional connections with customers, and creates positive, lasting experiences through purposefulness and storytelling. Brand Sacredness, as the second priority, is consistent with the findings of Belk et al. (1989) and Abdul Hamza Abbas and Jasim Mohammed (2023), indicating that sacred brands establish relationships that extend beyond commercial interactions. In the Razavi Brand, religious association stemming from its connection to Astan Quds Razavi, sacred visual identity, and the feeling of blessedness play crucial roles. These spiritual dimensions create a sense of deeper commitment and belonging among customers that transcends purely economic interests. Brand Responsibility, ranked third, corresponds with Carroll (1999) and Kafashpour et al. (2023), demonstrating that perceived social responsibility significantly influences customer behavior. The dimensions of legal, environmental, and social responsibility reflect customers'' expectations that the brand should adhere to ethical and legal requirements beyond commercial interests. Brand Holiness, despite ranking fourth, retains a fundamental role, consistent with Wilson and Liu (2010) and Tavakoli and Karbasi (2022), with Halit representing a basic expectation rather than a differentiating factor. Customers of the Razavi Brand take Halit for granted; this dimension alone cannot significantly increase brand equity, but its absence can cause serious damage. At the component level, "ethical values" within Inspirationality emphasize the brand''s adherence to ethical principles; "religious association" within Sacredness indicates that the most important source of sacredness is the mental connection with the Holy Shrine; "legal responsibility" within Responsibility reflects customers'' expectations regarding compliance and transparency; and "compliance with Sharia principles" within Holiness is fully consistent with the religious nature of the Razavi Brand. Overall, value creation in the Razavi Brand primarily depends on the brand''s ability to create inspirational and sacred experiences. This finding aligns with Kotler et al.''s (2010) Marketing 3.0 perspective, which emphasizes viewing human beings as entities with body, mind, heart, and spirit. Therefore, strategically strengthening Inspirationality and Sacredness should be a primary priority in the Razavi Brand''s development programs. Based on the findings, practical recommendations include: (1) focusing on inspirational storytelling and ethical values in brand communications; (2) safeguarding the brand''s sacred identity and strengthening religious associations; (3) institutionalizing responsible practices, with an emphasis on legal and environmental responsibility; and (4) maintaining holiness as a basic prerequisite without overinvesting in it as a differentiating factor. This study contributes to both theory and practice by providing a validated framework for prioritizing the dimensions of spirituality-based brand equity in religious-cultural contexts. For managers of the Razavi Brand and similar religious brands, these findings offer practical guidance for optimal resource allocation and strategic decision-making.