Creation,
retention and extension of this mutual relationship lead to
customer loyalty, which is very important in
communication [7]. Consumers’ reactions to PR depend
on their levels of self-congruence and how their
expectations match the company’s properties, which are
presented through PR efforts. If consumers’ self-concepts
and perceptions of characteristics, associations and
values are identical to those of the company conducting
PR activities, then consumers attach a higher degree of
acceptance of the company. Higher consumer selfcongruence
enhances the establishment of commitment
and meaningful relationships with the organization and intensifies customer loyalty. Therefore, organizations’ PR practices can raise consumers’ self-congruence: the higher the self-congruence, the higher the consumer loyalty [4]. Thus, the first hypothesis is stated as follows: