Facebook fan page: the effect of perceived socialness in consumer–brand communication

Facebook has become an important platform for a brand–consumer relationship channel. The current study investigates the influence of perceived socialness and its effect on consumers’ attitude toward brands. Participants (N = 404) were recruited in a large southeast university. A 2 (socialness: high vs. low)?×?2 (feedback control: high vs. low)?×?2 (brand image: high vs. low) between-subject design was conducted. The results of this study identified three important findings. First, high (vs. low) socialness elicited higher perceived relationship commitment, brand trust, and more favorable brand attitude. Second, the effect of socialness on brand attitude was moderated by brand image (positive vs. negative). Third, the mediation analysis showed that the effect of socialness (high vs. low) on brand attitude was fully mediated by perceived relationship commitment and brand trust.     

The effect of activity identity fusion on negative consumer behavior

Negative consumer behavior is an important research topic as it explores consumer behaviors that threaten a brand's image and financial stability. However, prior research offers conflicting findings on whether a strong consumer‐brand relationship hurts or protects a brand after a market disruption or a brand transgression. To provide clarity on this issue, this work argues that disrupting the consumer‐activity relationship motivates consumers to reaffirm and protect their identity, thereby leading to negative consumer behavior. The data reveal that, after a brand‐initiated market disruption, consumers with high activity identity fusion are more likely to spread negative word‐of‐mouth, boycott the brand, and avoid repurchasing the brand in the future. Moreover, the data suggest that high brand identity fusion protects the brand during market disruptions; therefore, prior conflicting results may be due to the fact that the consumer‐activity relationship was not accounted for. Theoretically, this work establishes that consumers' relationship with their consumption activities has significant impacts on consumer behavior. Brand managers and marketers are urged to develop strategies that focus on strengthening the consumer‐brand relationship and not the consumer‐activity relationship.     

满意情景下的消费者后悔对口传的影响研究

后悔是消费者在消费体验之后将购买品牌同放弃的品牌进行比较所得到的负面情感反应,它对于消费者的再购意愿有着重要的影响。本文在验证了消费者可以同时体验满意和后悔这一结论的基础上,进一步研究并证实了后悔不仅会增加对购买品牌的负面口传,而且会增加对放弃品牌的正面口传。在此过程中,消费者同购买品牌的关系质量起到了显著的调节作用。     

Partitioned pricing,price fairness perceptions,and the moderating effects of brand relationships in SME business markets

Partitioned pricing effects on price perceptions have been studied in the consumer (B2C) market context, but not in the business (B2B) market, and particularly not in the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME), context. The current research investigates SME managers' affective and cognitive (e.g., price fairness perceptions) responses to partitioned pricing and extent of relationship with the selling brand. The first of three experimental studies finds that a partitioned price generates greater price fairness perceptions than an all-inclusive price. Study 2 finds that SME buyers elicit the greatest positive affect and the lowest negative affect when the buyer's firm has an established relationship with the brand and the seller partitions the price. The third study further examines the effects of relationship with the brand by separating brand mandate (i.e., when the buying firm requires employees to purchase from a specific brand) and relationship longevity.     

Effects of Expiration Date-Based Pricing on Brand Image Perceptions

Expiration date-based pricing (EDBP) occurs when a grocery retailer reduces the price of a perishable product according to its remaining shelf life. While, conventional wisdom suggests that this practice leads to negative consumer evaluations of brand quality, a series of field experiments reveal negative effects on brand quality perceptions only among loyal consumers and those who perceive low risk associated with perishables. The effect is also mediated by consumer distrust (Study 1). In addition, EDBP has no effect on brand quality image if consumers are already familiar with this pricing practice (Study 2), and it may even generate positive consumer evaluations when framed as a cause-related marketing activity to reduce waste (Study 3). Additional evidence indicates that psychological contract violation perceptions provide the underlying mechanism for explaining consumer responses to EDBP (Study 4). This article ends with an agenda for further research and implications for retail practice.     

Exploring the post-termination stage of consumer–brand relationships: An empirical investigation of the premium car market

This research extends customer lifecycle models to include a post-termination stage that bridges the dissolution stage of a consumer–brand relationship with a potential recovery stage. Drawing from 43 depth interviews with former customers of a car brand, this study relies on grounded theory and triangulation to explore consumer responses in the post-termination stage and finds evidence for both negative and positive customer responses after dissolution. The authors combine qualitative techniques with categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) to explore the dimensionality of post-termination responses and extract relationship-related and termination-related response dimensions. They use these dimensions to identify four distinct post-termination customer clusters, which differ systematically with the customer's termination reasons, as demonstrated through a series of exact logistic regressions. In addition to providing evidence of a post-termination stage, this study offers implications for customer relationship management.     

Brand personality appeal,brand relationship quality and WOM transmission: a study of consumer markets in Vietnam

This study investigates the impact of brand personality appeal on both brand relationship quality and word-of-mouth (WOM) transmission in Vietnam. It also examines the role of consumer attitudes towards advertising and public relations on brand personality appeal as well as brand relationship quality. An empirical test with a sample of 477 consumers by means of structural equation modelling reveals that brand personality appeal has a positive impact on both brand relationship quality and WOM transmission and that brand relationship quality has a positive effect on WOM transmission. Furthermore, attitudes towards public relations have positive impacts on both brand personality appeal and brand relationship quality. Finally, attitudes towards advertising have a positive impact on brand personality appeal but not on brand relationship quality.     

Brand followers

Both the advertising industry and academia have given increasing attention to the importance of consumer relationship building on social networking sites. By surveying 400 brand followers on Twitter, this study provides a baseline understanding of both motivations and relationships between identified motivations and key consumer–brand relationship variables (i.e. brand identification, brand community commitment, relationship continuance intention, and brand recommendation intention). In addition, we examined what factors affected attitudes towards brand communications on Twitter, based on the consumer socialisation framework. Our findings suggest consumers follow brands on Twitter because of four primary motivations: incentive seeking, social-interaction seeking, brand usage/likeability, and information seeking. The latter three were found to be significant predictors of the consumer–brand relationship variables. Also, individuals who communicate frequently with peers about brands and generally hold more favourable attitudes towards advertising are more likely to have positive attitudes towards brand communications via Twitter.     

“Regretting your brand-self?” The moderating role of consumer-brand identification on consumer responses to purchase regret

Extending the study of consumer-brand relationships in the post-purchase stages of consumer decision making and in situations involving unfavorable comparisons with foregone brands, this research investigates the role of consumer-brand identification on consumer responses to purchase regret. Drawing on regret theory and consumer-brand relationship literature, the authors argue that consumer-brand identification immunizes the brand from the negative consequences of purchase regret through the amplification of consumers' cognitive regret regulation and the attenuation of consumers' behavioral regret coping. An empirical study using scenario manipulation of regret for participants' favorite brands provides support to the protective role of consumer-brand identification. The results indicate that consumer-brand identification attenuates the negative effects of regret on satisfaction and behavioral intentions and strengthens the positive impact of satisfaction on brand repurchase/recommendation intent. The findings enrich regret and consumer-brand relationship theories and provide managerial insights for effective branding strategy development under conditions of intense competitive pressure.     

Influencer marketing: When and why gen Z consumers avoid influencers and endorsed brands

Consumer avoidance of brands and influencers is a widespread phenomenon, especially among Generation Z (Gen Z); however, influencer marketing literature lacks clarity about when and why Gen Z engages in such avoidance. Our experimental investigation, across four studies, reveals that Gen Z considers brands' control over influencers to be morally irresponsible and, thus, avoids both. We introduce a novel construct, influencer avoidance, and examine its drivers. Study 1 indicates that perceived brand control engenders avoidance; moderation evidence shows that macro (vs. micro) influencers accentuate (attenuate) the influence of brand control on avoidance. Study 2 shows that Gen Z enjoying a strong versus weak relationship with influencers results in lower (higher) avoidance towards influencers and endorsed brands. Study 3 demonstrates that negative moral emotions mediate the relationship between perceived brand control and avoidance behavior. Study 4 generalizes the findings by analyzing a different influencer and endorsed brand and including a prominent advertisement disclosure. By investigating the drivers and mechanisms of Gen Z's avoidance behavior, our research contributes to research on the theory of moral responsibility, Gen Z's influencer avoidance behavior, and anti-consumption literature. This offers key insights into how to prevent acts of consumer retribution towards influencers and brands.     

Consumer Brand Hate: Steam rolling whatever I see

This study aims to investigate negative consumer‐brand relationships by developing a “Brand Hate” concept. A hierarchical Brand Hate model is theoretically discussed in light of the psychology and consumer behavior literatures. In Study‐I the Brand Hate concept was tested with two different types of consumer brand haters, true haters, and regular haters. The study found that in the study's proposed multidimensional Brand Hate hierarchy true haters display “Boiling Brand Hate” while regular haters reveal “Seething Brand Hate.” Two additional studies were developed to examine the relationship between consumer personality traits and Brand Hate, exploring which types of consumers are more prone to feel hatred toward targeted brands. Study‐II's findings revealed a relationship between consumers who are high in personality traits of “conscientiousness” and those who Brand Hate. Study‐III's findings indicated that “self‐confident” and “competitive” consumers might also be more prone to feel hatred toward those brands that perform poorly and unethically.     

品牌关系指数模型研究:一个量表开发的视角

The aim of this research is to develop a new evaluation approach based on a brand relationship index model (BRI model), which includes a three stage study on the indicator system; indicator weight; and indicator integration. Based on brand identity theory and interpersonal relationship theory, four-brand relationship participants and three-brand relationship natures are put forward to make up a hypothesis of twelve-dimension brand relationships. Through a series of empirical studies based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), a five-dimension structure of brand relationships is obtained, which is the basis of the indicator system. Indicator weight is calculated by the normalization of path coefficients derived from a second order factor analysis of the five dimensions. Indicator integration is based on the Weighted Sum method. Based on these three ingredients, the brand relationship index (BRI) model is developed. According to analysis of data on ten mobile phone brands, the BRI model is tested. Translated from Yingxiao Kexue Xuebao 营销科学学报 (Journal of Marketing Science), 2006, 2(2): 24–40     

You are charging your friend a fee? The influence of brand relationship norms on consumer judgments

Prior research has found that consumer interpersonal relationship norms influence how consumers view marketing actions by a brand. Exchange relationships (e.g. payment for benefit received) and communal relationships (e.g. altruistic concern for a partner’s welfare) were studied. Violating relationship norms negatively affected consumer judgments. We replicate and extend this finding. We show general support for the proposed interaction across a range of dependent measures, manipulations and with an Australian sample. We also show that the negative effects of norm transgression by charging consumers a fee can be attenuated when the fee is modest and that exchange participants can also regard fees as violations of relationship norms.     

The role of social network websites in the consumer–brand relationship

Building and leveraging the brand community on a social network website (SN) such as Facebook is one of the popular social media strategies that companies employ to build a consumer–brand relationship. This research empirically tests a theoretical argument that the perceived benefits of a brand׳s social network website (BSN) influence the consumer׳s relationship with the brand׳s SN, which in turn leads to loyalty behavior. After qualitative exploration of the community to understand the practice of BSN, a quantitative method was utilized to test the hypothesized relationships. The results provide general support for the positive effect of BSN benefits on outcome variables. Specifically, experiential and functional benefits of a brand׳s SN positively influence the consumer׳s perception of relationship investment made by the brand, resulting in both brand relationship quality and the willingness to spread good words about the brand׳s SN. In addition, experiential benefits of BSN positively influence BSN relationship quality, which in turn leads to brand relationship quality, while the effect of functional benefits on BSN relationship quality is not found. The findings provide practical managerial suggestions to marketers and theoretical implications for future studies.     

Less speed more haste: The effect of crisis response speed and information strategy on the consumer−brand relationship

This paper investigates the relationship between firm crisis behavior and the resulting consumer–brand relationship (CBR) response. Drawing from theoretical traditions in brand transgressions, service failure, and crisis communications, we use longitudinal survey data combined with archival social media data to empirically test the effect of crisis response speed and crisis information strategy on the short-term consumer crisis response evaluations (1 month after crisis response), and the long-term CBR (1 year after crisis response). Results show that, contrary to intuitive expectations, a faster firm response is not always better, as a slower response was found to result in higher crisis response evaluations. We also show that this effect depends on the consistency of the communication strategy with the first active response. Specifically, when a firm prioritizes safety information (instructing strategy), a faster response is better. Whereas, when the firm prioritizes well-being information (adjusting strategy), a slower response is better. We argue the counterintuitive finding that a slower response is better implies that reacting too quickly may signal rashness and unpreparedness to the customer, leading to more negative evaluations. We term this distinction the difference between being responsive (fast but considered) and reactive (faster but rash).     

品牌仪式的“见”之效应：品牌仪式如何影响消费者信任

受新冠肺炎疫情的影响，大多消费者只能在线观看企业通过互联网实施的品牌仪式，然而以往研究更多揭示的是消费者直接参与的仪式效应，鲜有消费者不直接参与的仪式研究。基于社会交换理论，文章运用实验法探讨了当消费者见到但不实际参与品牌仪式时，品牌仪式对消费者信任的影响机制，即品牌仪式的“见”之效应。结果表明：作为视觉材料呈现的品牌仪式（对比随机动作）也能激活消费者的仪式感知，增加消费者对品牌的信任。原因在于当消费者从品牌仪式的互动体验中获取相应的积极情感资源（心流体验）后，会更倾向与品牌建立信任关系。此外，消费者品牌关系规范会调节品牌仪式对消费者信任的影响，对于共享型关系中的消费者，品牌仪式通过增强消费者心流体验，进而增加消费者对品牌的信任，但对于交易型关系中的消费者，该效应消失。     

Constituency building: Determining consumers’ willingness to participate in corporate political activities

Recently, firms have increasingly approached their own customers for assistance with corporate political activities—a strategy known as constituency building. While constituency building efforts targeting shareholders and employees have been well-studied, relatively little is known about the impact of approaching consumers. Hence, this paper examines why consumers participate in corporate political activities on behalf of a brand, and we present three studies to explore this increasingly popular practice. First, Study 1 utilizes qualitative interviews with actual campaign participants to provide initial insights to develop our theoretical model, which we subsequently test in two experiments. Study 2 finds that brand loyalty is a key driver of consumer activism, with both direct and indirect effects through its impact on issue salience, information seeking behavior, and its interaction with the issue type. Finally, Study 3 finds that consumer activism is associated with increased brand loyalty, indicating that this may be a relationship building activity and an important dimension of the longer process of social exchange between the brand and consumer.     

An Empirical Investigation of Composite Product Choice

Prior ingredient branding research has examined the influence of “stated” factors such as fit between partner brands on composite product (e.g., Tide with Downy fabric softener) attitudes. This research focuses on choice of composite products, and addresses three managerially relevant questions: Which consumer segments are more likely to adopt the composite product? Will the choice of the composite product have positive or negative reciprocal effects on partner brands? Will the introduction of the composite product benefit the primary or the secondary brand more? The authors use a brand choice model to investigate the “revealed” choice of complements-based composite products. Study results indicate that (i) despite high fit between the composite product and the primary brand, consumer segments may have different choice likelihoods for these products, whereas prior research suggests equal likelihood; (ii) the choice of a composite product may not provide a positive reciprocal effect to the secondary brand; and (iii) the introduction of a composite product may benefit the primary brand more than the secondary brand, whereas prior research suggests a symmetrical benefit for the partner brands. Finally, the finding that introducing a composite product may not cannibalize the sale of the primary brand extends the ingredient branding literature, which has been silent on this issue.     

网络负面谣言与品牌崇拜：品牌口碑与沟通技巧的作用

文章对网络负面谣言与消费者品牌崇拜的关系，以及品牌口碑与沟通技巧在以上关系中所起的中介与调节作用进行了实证研究。研究以广州地区211家品牌服饰企业的品牌管理者为实证研究对象，通过对问卷调查数据进行层级回归分析发现：(1)网络负面谣言不但会直接负向影响消费者对企业的品牌崇拜，而且还会通过负向影响企业的品牌口碑，继而对消费者品牌崇拜产生负面影响，品牌口碑在网络负面谣言与消费者品牌崇拜关系中起部分中介作用；(2)沟通技巧程度强的企业品牌更能抵制网络负面谣言的影响，相对于低沟通技巧的企业，高沟通技巧企业的消费者较少因为网络负面谣言而降低其对原有消费品牌的崇拜。     

Nostalgia and brands: a sweet rather than a bitter cultural evocation of the past

Abstract

This study focuses on the cultural consumer environment of brands considered as nostalgic. The research questions are thus the following: what is the impact of culture on the consumer relationship with brands considered as nostalgic? In which cases are these relationships positive, and in which cases are they negative? To answer these questions, a longitudinal data collection was conducted, consisting of interviewing the same sample of respondents three times, at more or less one-year intervals. The results were analysed taking into account three dimensions of culture: time, place and social aspects. In the time-based approach, brands are associated with traditional celebrations and rites of passage. Thus, they give rise to ‘traditional purchase’ and consumer loyalty. In the place-based approach, brands evoke original authenticity and myths. They offer protection to reduce perceived risks and therefore facilitate consumers’ trust. In the social approach, brands are associated with symbolic icons and attract communities of fans. Finally, this article shows that culture involves sweeter rather than bitter nostalgic brand relationships. This article brings to light four cases when the consumer cultural environment may induce a rejection of the nostalgic brand: (1) the ‘corrupted’ brand; (2) the ‘immoral’ brand; (3) the ‘precarious’ brand; and (4) the ‘stereotypical’ brand. It shows that only one case – the ‘corrupted’ brand – may be particularly prejudicial due to its unwelcome role in History.