Abstract

Introduction: Given fast grow and competition in the healthcare industry, managers and health activists in this sector need to adopt strategies for branding. The purpose of the study was to develop a conceptual model for branding in the healthcare industry to build brand advocacy and positive brand image. Methods: The study includes patients referred to a military hospital in May 2018. Data gathered by questionnaire, and 162 surveys were collected by simple random sampling method. To test the hypotheses, the conceptual model was analysed by structural equation modeling with SmartPLS (R) software. Results: The affective commitment and brand trust could predict brand advocacy. CSR significantly impacts brand image and affective commitment, furthermore brand attitude and COB significantly impact brand trust. There was no significant relationship between brand trust and affective commitment with brand image. Conclusion Organizations can improve brand image and establish brand support through investing resources on branding. This study contributes insights for marketing managers in developing successful branding strategies for health care organizations.