Measures the degree to which a consumer believes a specific product contains the true essence, heritage, and pedigree of the brand from which it originates. Grounded in contagion theory — the notion that objects can acquire a special aura or essence from their source through physical contact — the scale captures whether the product is seen as a legitimate carrier of the brand's authentic character. Distinct from general brand authenticity scales in its focus on a specific product instance rather than the brand as a whole.
9-point Likert-type
Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.
Source not identified by Newman and Dhar (2014). The scale could also be described as measuring 'contagion' or 'transferred essence', reflecting its theoretical grounding in sympathetic magic and contagion beliefs. Uses a 9-point rather than the more common 7-point scale. Validity not discussed. Distinct from the Brand Authenticity Scale (ID 397), which measures brand-level authenticity perceptions -- this scale targets a specific product instance and whether it embodies the brand's essence. Most applicable in contexts where manufacturing origin or provenance is a factor.
Newman, G.E., & Dhar, R. (2014). Authenticity is contagious: Brand essence and the original source of production. Journal of Marketing Research, 51(3), 371-386.
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