Branded mobile applications (apps) present one of the most promising opportunities for marketers to
reach current and potential customers, sell products or services, and facilitate customer engagement
with brands. This study aims to explore how branded apps influence consumers’ brand repurchase
intention and continuance usage intention. Integrating the utilitarian view from information
systems research and the view of consumer–brand engagement from marketing research, a
complementary engagement path alongside the utilitarian path was devised and tested in order to
elucidate consumer perceptions toward branded apps. Independent self-construal and
interdependent self-construal moderate relationships along the utilitarian path and engagement
path, respectively. Data collected from 637 respondents support most of the proposed hypotheses.
Results show that the engagement path has more influence on continuance intention and equal
influence on repurchase intention when compared to the utilitarian path. Findings show that apps
users have different thoughts along each of the two paths, depending on their self-construal. The
study’s findings also provide app designers and marketers with new perspectives on how to better
design branded apps.