1. Introduction

With the acceleration of China's aging population, the issue of old-age care has become a hot topic of social concern. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, by the end of 2023, the number of people aged 60 and above in China will reach 0.27 billion, accounting for 19.4 per cent of the total population, of which 36 million will be aged 80 and above, accounting for 13.3 per cent of the elderly population. The size and proportion of the elderly population is increasing, and the demand for pension services is also growing. However, the traditional family pension and community pension model has been difficult to meet the diversified, personalized and professional pension needs of the elderly, and the supply of public pension services is insufficient and unbalanced. Therefore, as a new pension service model, pension apartment has been favored by more and more elderly people and families.

The old-age apartment refers to the old-age care institution that mainly provides accommodation and provides integrated services such as catering, medical treatment, rehabilitation and entertainment.

The advantage of pension apartment is that, on the one hand, it can meet the needs of the elderly for independent, comfortable and safe living environment, on the other hand, it can provide professional, intimate and humanized pension services, so that the elderly can enjoy a high quality life. According to the China Association for the elderly, by the end of 2023, there were more than 3,000 apartments for the aged, with more than 500000 beds, of which private apartments accounted for more than 90%. It is estimated that by 2025, the number of beds in the national pension apartment will reach 1 million, and the market size will exceed 500 billion yuan.

然而，养老公寓市场的竞争也日趋激烈，养老公寓的数量、规模、品牌、服务水平等方面存在较大的差异，消费者在选择养老公寓时面临着多重的决策困难。如何提升养老公寓的品牌影响力和忠诚度，成为了养老公寓经营者和投资者关注的问题。为了解决这一问题，有必要从消费者的角度出发，深入研究养老公寓消费者的品牌偏好，即消费者对不同养老公寓品牌的认知、态度和选择。

养老公寓消费者品牌偏好的研究，不仅可以帮助养老公寓经营者了解消费者的需求和期望，优化品牌策略和服务质量，提高市场竞争力和盈利能力，还可以帮助消费者提高养老公寓的认知水平和选择能力，保障消费者的权益和福祉。

Taking consumers as the center, this paper discusses the formation mechanism and influencing factors of consumer brand preference of old-age apartment, puts forward a research method of consumer brand preference of old-age apartment based on multi-level analysis model, and shows the application process and results of this method with Shangpu Consulting Company as an example. The purpose of this paper is to provide theoretical guidance and practical reference for brand management and marketing of pension apartments.

The formation mechanism and influencing factors of consumer brand preference of 2. pension apartment.

养老公寓消费者品牌偏好是指消费者在面对多个养老公寓品牌时，对其中某一个或几个品牌产生的相对稳定的认知、态度和选择。

The formation of consumer brand preference of pension apartment is a dynamic, multi-dimensional and complex psychological process, which is influenced by many factors. According to the relevant literature, this paper divides these factors into three categories: personal factors, environmental factors and brand factors.

(I) personal factors

个人因素是指消费者自身的特征，包括年龄、性别、教育、收入、健康状况、生活方式、价值观、消费动机、消费经验等。这些因素会影响消费者对养老公寓的需求、期望、认知和评价，从而影响消费者的品牌偏好。例如：

Age: Age is an important factor affecting the consumer brand preference of pension apartments. The needs and expectations of the elderly in different ages are different, and the cognition and evaluation of pension apartments are also different. Generally speaking, with the growth of age, the demand of the elderly for the old-age apartment will increase, the expectation of the old-age apartment will be reduced, and the cognition and evaluation of the old-age apartment will be more objective and rational.

Gender: Gender is another important factor that affects the brand preference of pension apartment consumers. The elderly of different genders have different needs and expectations for pension apartments, and their cognition and evaluation of pension apartments are also different. Generally speaking, female elderly people have greater demand for pension apartments, higher expectations for pension apartments, and more subjective and perceptual cognition and evaluation of pension apartments.

Education: Education is another important factor that affects the brand preference of consumers of pension apartments. Elderly people with different education levels have different needs and expectations for pension apartments, and their cognition and evaluation of pension apartments are also different. Generally speaking, the higher the education level of the elderly, the smaller the demand for pension apartments, the higher the expectation of pension apartments, and the more rational and diverse the cognition and evaluation of pension apartments.

其他个人因素：除了上述几个主要的个人因素外，还有一些其他的个人因素也会影响养老公寓消费者品牌偏好，例如收入、健康状况、生活方式、价值观、消费动机、消费经验等。这些因素会影响消费者对养老公寓的可承受性、适合性、满意度和忠诚度，从而影响消费者的品牌偏好。例如，收入越高的老年人，对养老公寓的可承受性越高，但对养老公寓的适合性和满意度不一定越高；健康状况越差的老年人，对养老公寓的适合性越高，但对养老公寓的满意度不一定越高；生活方式越活跃的老年人，对养老公寓的满意度越高，但对养老公寓的忠诚度不一定越高；价值观越传统的老年人，对养老公寓的忠诚度越高，但对养老公寓的多样性和创新性不一定越高；消费动机越强烈的老年人，对养老公寓的选择越主动，但对养老公寓的评价不一定越客观；消费经验越丰富的老年人，对养老公寓的评价越有依据，但对养老公寓的偏好不一定越稳定。

（二）环境因素

环境因素是指消费者所处的外部条件，包括社会文化、政策法规、市场竞争、媒体传播、家庭影响、群体影响等。这些因素会影响消费者对养老公寓的认知、态度和选择，从而影响消费者的品牌偏好。例如：

社会文化：社会文化是影响养老公寓消费者品牌偏好的一个重要因素，不同的社会文化背景会形成不同的养老观念、养老方式和养老需求，从而影响消费者对养老公寓的认知、态度和选择。一般来说，社会文化越开放、多元和包容的地区，消费者对养老公寓的认知越正面、积极和理解，对养老公寓的态度越友好、尊重和信任，对养老公寓的选择越多样、灵活和主动。

政策法规：政策法规是影响养老公寓消费者品牌偏好的另一个重要因素，不同的政策法规会制约或促进养老公寓的发展和运营，从而影响消费者对养老公寓的认知、态度和选择。一般来说，政策法规越完善、明确和支持的地区，消费者对养老公寓的认知越清晰、准确和全面，对养老公寓的态度越安心、放心和满意，对养老公寓的选择越便捷、合理和优惠。

市场竞争：市场竞争是影响养老公寓消费者品牌偏好的又一个重要因素，不同的市场竞争状况会影响养老公寓的数量、质量、价格和服务，从而影响消费者对养老公寓的认知、态度和选择。一般来说，市场竞争越激烈、规范和公平的地区，消费者对养老公寓的认知越多元、丰富和深入，对养老公寓的态度越挑剔、比较和评价，对养老公寓的选择越广泛、细致和差异化。

其他环境因素：除了上述几个主要的环境因素外，还有一些其他的环境因素也会影响养老公寓消费者品牌偏好，例如媒体传播、家庭影响、群体影响等。这些因素会影响消费者对养老公寓的信息获取、信息处理和信息传播，从而影响消费者的品牌偏好。例如，媒体传播越广泛、真实和有效的地区，消费者对养老公寓的信息获取越容易、快速和及时；家庭影响越强烈、和谐和支持的地区，消费者对养老公寓的信息处理越共享、协商和一致；群体影响越显著、正面和有益的地区，消费者对养老公寓的信息传播越积极、主动和有力。

（三）品牌因素

品牌因素是指养老公寓本身的特征，包括品牌名称、品牌标识、品牌形象、品牌定位、品牌价值、品牌关系等。这些因素会影响消费者对养老公寓的认知、态度和选择，从而影响消费者的品牌偏好。例如：

品牌名称：品牌名称是养老公寓品牌的核心要素，是消费者对养老公寓的第一印象和最直接的认知。品牌名称的好坏会影响消费者对养老公寓的认知、态度和选择。一般来说，品牌名称越简洁、易记和有意义的养老公寓，消费者对其的认知越清晰、深刻和熟悉，对其的态度越好奇、信赖和喜爱，对其的选择越倾向、偏好和忠诚。

Brand logo: Brand logo is the visual element of the old-age apartment brand, and it is the second impression and the most intuitive cognition of consumers to the old-age apartment. The quality of brand logo will affect consumers' cognition, attitude and choice of pension apartment. Generally speaking, the more beautiful, unique and symbolic the brand logo is, the more distinct, profound and impressive the consumer's cognition of the apartment, the more appreciation, respect and love the attitude, and the more inclination, preference and loyalty to the choice.

Brand image: brand image is the psychological element of the old-age apartment brand, and it is the third impression and the most comprehensive cognition of consumers to the old-age apartment. The quality of brand image will affect consumers' cognition, attitude and choice of pension apartment. Generally speaking, the more positive, positive and attractive the brand image is, the more comprehensive, accurate and trust consumers' cognition of the apartment is, the more they agree, agree and support their attitude, and the more firm, loyal and recommend their choice is.

Brand positioning: Brand positioning is the strategic element of the pension apartment brand, and it is the fourth impression and the most important cognition of consumers. The quality of brand positioning will affect consumers' cognition, attitude and choice of pension apartment. Generally speaking, the more clear, reasonable and differentiated the brand positioning is, the more clear, professional and valuable consumers' cognition of the apartment is, the more they respect, trust and love their attitude, and the more diverse, flexible and active their choices are.

Brand value: Brand value is the core element of the pension apartment brand, and it is the fifth impression and the most essential cognition of consumers to the pension apartment. The quality of brand value will affect consumers' cognition, attitude and choice of pension apartment. Generally speaking, the higher the brand value, the more stable and growing the pension apartment, the more deeply, truthful and confident consumers have, the more satisfied, loyal and responsible their attitude, and the more lasting, stable and rewarding their choice.

Brand relationship: brand relationship is the relationship element of the old-age apartment brand, and it is the sixth impression and the most dynamic cognition of consumers to the old-age apartment. The quality of brand relationship will affect consumers' cognition, attitude and choice of pension apartment. Generally speaking, the more intimate, harmonious and interactive the brand relationship is, the more continuous, updated and involved consumers' cognition is, the more friendly, trusting and affectionate their attitude is, and the more positive, active and influential their choice is.

The method of studying consumer brand preference of 3. pension apartment.

根据上述对养老公寓消费者品牌偏好的形成机制和影响因素的分析，本文提出了一种基于多层次分析模型的养老公寓消费者品牌偏好研究方法。多层次分析模型是一种适用于分析多层次结构数据的统计方法，可以有效地处理个体层面和群体层面的变量之间的关系。本文将养老公寓消费者品牌偏好分为两个层次：个体层次和品牌层次。个体层次是指消费者自身的个人因素，品牌层次是指养老公寓本身的品牌因素。环境因素则作为控制变量，控制在个体层次和品牌层次之间的影响。

The significance of the multi-level analysis model of this paper is that it can examine the influence of personal factors and brand factors on the consumer brand preference of pension apartment, as well as the interaction between personal factors and brand factors. Through the parameter estimation of the model, the size and direction of the fixed effect and random effect of individual factors and brand factors can be obtained, so as to analyze the formation mechanism of the consumer brand preference of the old-age apartment and the law and characteristics of the influencing factors.

An example of the study of consumer brand preference of 4. pension apartment.

In order to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the research method of consumer brand preference of pension apartment proposed in this paper, this paper takes Shangpu Consulting Company as an example to show the application process and results of this method. Shangpu Consulting Company is a company specializing in consulting and research on the elderly care industry. It has many years of experience in market research and analysis of elderly care apartments, and provides brand planning, brand management and brand marketing services for many elderly care apartments. Based on the data and report of a market research and analysis conducted by Shangpu Consulting Company on the consumers of the old-age apartment in Beijing in 2023, this paper makes an example analysis of the brand preference of the old-age apartment consumers. Shangpu Consulting Company investigated a total of 10 pension apartments in Beijing, namely A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and 500 pension apartment consumers, namely 1, 2, 3,..., 500. The survey includes brand name, brand identity, brand image, brand positioning, brand value, brand relationship and other brand factors, as well as consumers' age, gender, education, income, health status, lifestyle, values, consumption motivation, consumption experience and other personal factors, as well as consumers' brand preference for pension apartments. The survey methods include questionnaire survey, interview survey, observation survey and so on. After the survey data is cleaned, sorted, coded and entered, a multi-level data set is obtained, which is used for the parameter estimation of the multi-level analysis model.

In this paper, SPSS software and HLM software are used to estimate the parameters of the multi-level analysis model, and the results are as follows:

Fixed effects at the individual level: Among the individual factors, age, gender, education, income, health status, lifestyle, values, consumer motivation, and consumer experience all have a significant impact on consumer brand preferences for retirement apartments, and the direction and size are different. Specifically, the older the consumers, the lower the brand preference of the apartment for the aged; the female consumers, the higher the brand preference of the apartment for the aged than the male consumers; the higher the education level, the higher the brand preference of the apartment for the aged; the higher the income level, the lower the brand preference of the apartment for the aged; the poorer the health condition, the higher the brand preference of the apartment for the aged; the more active the lifestyle of consumers, the lower the brand preference of the old-age apartment, the more traditional the values of consumers, the higher the brand preference of the old-age apartment, the stronger the consumer motivation, the higher the brand preference of the old-age apartment, the more experienced the consumer, the lower the brand preference of the old-age apartment.

品牌层次的固定效应：品牌因素中，品牌名称、品牌标识、品牌形象、品牌定位、品牌价值、品牌关系都对养老公寓消费者品牌偏好有显著的影响，且方向和大小各不相同。具体来说，品牌名称越简洁、易记和有意义的养老公寓，消费者对其的品牌偏好越高；品牌标识越美观、独特和有象征意义的养老公寓，消费者对其的品牌偏好越高；品牌形象越积极、正面和有吸引力的养老公寓，消费者对其的品牌偏好越高；品牌定位越明确、合理和有差异化的养老公寓，消费者对其的品牌偏好越高；品牌价值越高、稳定和有增长性的养老公寓，消费者对其的品牌偏好越高；品牌关系越亲密、和谐和有互动性的养老公寓，消费者对其的品牌偏好越高。

个体层次和品牌层次的交互效应：个人因素和品牌因素之间存在多种交互作用，且方向和大小各不相同。具体来说，年龄和品牌名称之间存在正向的交互作用，即年龄越大的消费者，对品牌名称越简洁、易记和有意义的养老公寓的品牌偏好越高；性别和品牌标识之间存在负向的交互作用，即女性消费者。

There is a negative interaction between gender and brand identity, that is, female consumers have a lower brand preference for the more beautiful, unique and symbolic brand identity of the retirement apartment than male consumers; there is a positive interaction between education and brand image, that is, the higher the level of education, the higher the consumer's brand preference for the more positive, positive and attractive the brand image of the retirement apartment; there is a negative interaction between income and brand positioning, that is, the higher the income level of consumers, the more clear, reasonable and differentiated the brand positioning of the old-age apartment brand preference is lower than that of consumers with lower income level; there is a positive interaction between health status and brand value, that is, the worse the health status of consumers, the higher the brand value of the old-age apartment, the higher the stability and growth of the brand preference; there is a negative interaction between lifestyle and brand relationship, that is, consumers with more active lifestyle have a lower brand preference for the more intimate, harmonious and interactive pension apartments than consumers with more conservative lifestyle.

5. conclusions and recommendations

本文以消费者为中心，探讨了养老公寓消费者品牌偏好的形成机制和影响因素，提出了一种基于多层次分析模型的养老公寓消费者品牌偏好研究方法，并以尚普咨询公司为例，展示了该方法的应用过程和结果。本文的主要ConclusionAnd the recommendations are as follows:

The consumer brand preference of pension apartment is a dynamic, multi-dimensional and complex psychological process, which is influenced by personal factors, environmental factors and brand factors, and there are many interactions between these factors. Therefore, the brand management and marketing of pension apartments should start from the perspective of consumers, fully consider the needs, expectations, cognition and evaluation of consumers, as well as the social culture, policies and regulations, market competition and other environmental conditions of consumers, as well as the brand name, brand identity, brand image, brand positioning, brand value, brand relationship and other brand characteristics of pension apartments, the formation mechanism and influencing factors of consumer brand preference are analyzed comprehensively, and reasonable brand strategy and brand action are formulated to enhance the brand influence and loyalty of the pension apartment.

The multi-level analysis model is a statistical method suitable for analyzing multi-level structure data, which can effectively deal with the relationship between variables at the individual level and the group level. This paper divides the consumer brand preference of pension apartment into two levels: individual level and brand level, and examines the influence of personal factors and brand factors on the consumer brand preference of pension apartment, as well as the interaction between personal factors and brand factors. The advantage of the multi-level analysis model in this paper is that it can overcome the limitations of the traditional single-level analysis model, reveal the laws and characteristics of consumer brand preferences of pension apartments more comprehensively, accurately and deeply, and provide theoretical guidance and practical reference for the brand management and marketing of pension apartments.

尚普咨询公司是一家专业从事养老产业咨询和研究的公司，拥有多年的养老公寓市场调研和分析经验，为多家养老公寓提供了品牌策划、品牌管理和品牌营销等服务。本文以尚普咨询公司在2023年对北京市养老公寓消费者进行的一次市场调研和分析的数据和报告为基础，进行了养老公寓消费者品牌偏好研究的实例分析。本文的实例分析的意义在于，它可以验证本文提出的养老公寓消费者品牌偏好研究方法的有效性和可行性，同时也可以为尚普咨询公司和北京市养老公寓提供一些具体的、有针对性的、有操作性的品牌管理和营销建议。