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1 – 10 of over 3000Shahzeb Hussain, Olga Pascaru, Constantinos Vasilios Priporas, Pantea Foroudi, T.C. Melewar and Charles Dennis
This study aims to examine the effects of celebrity negative publicity on attitude towards brand, corporation, brand reputation and corporate reputation, both directly and through…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effects of celebrity negative publicity on attitude towards brand, corporation, brand reputation and corporate reputation, both directly and through the moderating effects of social media involvement, brand commitment, identification and attribution (both types). Associative network theory has been used to explain these effects.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative survey of 550 respondents was carried out in London and surrounding areas. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data.
Findings
The findings suggest that celebrity negative publicity affects brand reputation and corporate reputation. Further, the moderating effects of social media involvement and brand commitment on attitude towards brand and corporation, identification on attitude towards brand, attribution types on attitude towards corporation were not found.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the effects of celebrity negative publicity on attitudes towards brand, attitude towards corporation, brand reputation and corporation reputation, directly, and through the moderating effects of attribution (both types), identification, commitment and social media. Findings from this study will minimise the gap in the literature on the topic and will help managers and policymakers to understand the effects of celebrity negative publicity in detail.
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Zelin Tong, Jingdan Feng and Fang Liu
Studies have shown that negative publicity adversely affects brand trust, but exactly how brand trust can be damaged remains poorly understood. This study aims to explore how…
Abstract
Purpose
Studies have shown that negative publicity adversely affects brand trust, but exactly how brand trust can be damaged remains poorly understood. This study aims to explore how negative publicity influences image congruity and, subsequently, brand trust. In addition, the study also examined the effectiveness of two corporate strategies to repair both congruity and trust.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a valid sample of 522 Chinese consumers between the ages 20 and 50, this study adopted a quasi-experimental design involving two types of negative publicity (performance- and value-related) and two initial corporate repair strategies (compensation and public apology) intended to repair brand trust.
Findings
Negative publicity shaped brand trust through both functional congruity and self-congruity. Moreover, the type of negative publicity affected the role of image congruity in brand trust. The effectiveness of repair strategies further depended on the type of negative publicity.
Research limitations/implications
Mobile phones were an appropriate focal product for this research, but examining only one product category may limit findings’ generalizability. Negative emotions such as frustration or anger and their relationships with congruity can also be addressed in future work. Subsequent research can additionally consider more conditions to explore alternative routes of processing related to brand trust.
Practical implications
Brand trust is a vulnerable brand asset on which negative publicity can have seriously negative consequences. Marketers and brand managers should assess the extent to which negative publicity can damage image congruity and brand trust and come up with different repair strategies subsequently.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the limited and fragmented literature on consumers’ evaluations of negative information. Findings offer fresh insight into the impacts of negative publicity on image congruity and brand trust. The implications extend beyond negative publicity to other forms of negative information, such as rumors, fake news and negative word of mouth. Results also highlight the importance of adopting appropriate repair strategies to restore consumers’ trust in the event of negative publicity.
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Xian Liu, Helena Maria Lischka and Peter Kenning
This research aims to systematically explore the cognitive and emotional effects of values-related and performance-related negative brand publicity and investigate how the…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to systematically explore the cognitive and emotional effects of values-related and performance-related negative brand publicity and investigate how the psychological effects translate into different behavioural outcomes. In addition, it examines the relative effectiveness of two major brand response strategies in mitigating negative publicity.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 examines the effects of values- and performance-related negative brand publicity, using a 3 (negative brand publicity: values-related vs performance-related vs control) × 2 (brand: Dove vs Axe) between-subjects experiment. Study 2 further compares the effects of two major brand response strategies on consumers’ post-crisis perceived trustworthiness and trust and responses towards a brand involved in negative publicity. A 2 (negative brand publicity: values-related vs performance-related) × 2 (brand response strategy: reduction-of-offensiveness vs corrective action) between-subjects design was used.
Findings
The results suggest that values-related negative brand publicity is perceived as being more diagnostic and elicits a stronger emotion of contempt, but a weaker emotion of pity than performance-related negative brand publicity. Moreover, values-related negative brand publicity has a stronger negative impact on consumer responses than performance-related negative brand publicity. Interestingly, compared to perceived diagnosticity of information and the emotion of pity, the emotion of contempt is more likely to cause differences in consumer responses to these two types of negative brand publicity. Regarding brand response strategy, corrective action is more effective than reduction-of-offensiveness for both types of negative brand publicity, but the advantage of corrective action is greater for the performance-related case.
Originality/value
This research enriches the negative publicity and brand perception literature, showing the asymmetric cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects of values- and performance-related negative brand publicity. It also identifies the psychological mechanisms underlying consumer responses to negative brand publicity, and it provides empirical evidence for the relative effectiveness of two major brand response strategies.
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Mingzhou Yu, Fang Liu, Julie Lee and Geoff Soutar
This study aims to understand the influence of negative publicity on brand image, brand attitude and brand purchase intention. Specifically, the study examines the role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand the influence of negative publicity on brand image, brand attitude and brand purchase intention. Specifically, the study examines the role of attribution (or brand blame) and information characteristics in Chinese consumers’ responses to negative publicity.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a quasi-experimental approach involving two negative publicity scenarios (mild and high severity) and a sample of 203 young and educated Chinese consumers. Partial least squares was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
A common assumption is that negative brand information has a negative influence on all aspects of a brand. However, this study finds that brand blame and information severity have differential effects on consumer evaluations of the affected brand. Specifically, brand blame negatively impacted attitudes and purchase intentions, but not brand image. In contrast, information severity negatively impacted brand image, but not attitudes or intentions. Further, the relations between brand image and brand attitudes and intentions depended on the level of information severity. In the mild-severity condition, brand image positively influenced attitudes and intentions, but not in the high-severity condition.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should examine consumer responses to negative publicity across different media and product categories. Cross-cultural studies should also be explored in the future.
Practical implications
When a brand encounters negative publicity, its marketer or brand manager should assess to what extent various brand equity components are influenced by negative publicity before adopting any cognitive-based or imagery-based communication strategies.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the limited and fragmented literature on consumer response to negative publicity by examining the impact of consumer’s attributions of blame to the brand under conditions of mild and severe negative information on a range of important brand-related outcomes. Specifically, the authors find that negative publicity has a different impact on brand image, brand attitudes and intentions to purchase. The authors suggest that brand managers use this information to guide their marketing communications.
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Shubhomoy Banerjee and Abhijit Ghosh
The purpose of this study is to study the impact of relationship marketing orientation (RMO) and relationship quality on customers' commitment and pro-marketer behavior (positive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to study the impact of relationship marketing orientation (RMO) and relationship quality on customers' commitment and pro-marketer behavior (positive word of mouth and external attribution) after negative brand publicity by using the combined lens of relationship marketing theory and the theory of cognitive dissonance.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among banking customers in India using an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and the bootstrapping procedure using the SPSS process macro.
Findings
Contrary to conventional wisdom, findings of this study suggest that RMO and relationship quality are positively correlated to commitment even after negative publicity. The path between RMO, relationship quality and pro-provider behavior is found to be mediated by commitment. This indirect path is moderated by customers' cognitive dissonance arising out of the negative publicity.
Originality/value
The study establishes the combined roles of RMO and relationship quality in pre-empting the detrimental effects of negative brand publicity. Further, it establishes interactions of cognitive dissonance with these relationship variables, thereby bringing together literature from relationship marketing theory and cognitive dissonance theory.
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Xiaoting Shen, Yimeng Zhao, Jia Yu and Mingzhou Yu
This study aims to investigate the responses of young Chinese consumers with different cultural characteristics to negative brand information about electric vehicles.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the responses of young Chinese consumers with different cultural characteristics to negative brand information about electric vehicles.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study is quantitative research with an experimental method. It shows two different levels of severity for negative publicity and asks participants to self-report through questionnaires.
Findings
Chinese young consumers, being collectivist and of high uncertainty avoidance, tend to search for and spread information; consumers with low power distance search and share information more under low information severity. In addition, information search positively affects brand attitude under lower severity; negative word-of-mouth intention negatively affects brand attitudes at both severity levels.
Research limitations/implications
The current study examines the influence of personal cultural values on information searching and negative information dissemination among young consumers, providing insights to complement previous studies. Furthermore, it explores how such exposure influences young consumers’ brand attitude and intention to purchase. Limitations include simple sample scopes and single-product stimuli.
Practical implications
This research highlights the importance of cultural dimensions in shaping young consumers’ responses to negative publicity. Marketers worldwide should consider cultural influence and develop specific strategies to address negative information about different products. Understanding customers’ unique characteristics and preferences can help marketers effectively tailor their approaches to counter negative publicity.
Originality/value
This study originally provides a supplement to prior studies on cultural dimensions and consumer behavior and provides suggestions to marketers on young Chinese consumers.
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Jennifer L. Stoner, Carlos J. Torelli and Alokparna Basu Monga
This research distinguishes between abstract brand concepts built through the development of diverse product portfolios (i.e. portfolio abstractness) and those built through…
Abstract
Purpose
This research distinguishes between abstract brand concepts built through the development of diverse product portfolios (i.e. portfolio abstractness) and those built through establishing human-like images (i.e. image abstractness), and investigates the joint effect of the two types of brand abstractness on building brand equity.
Design/methodology/approach
The three studies presented use experimental design with participants in a laboratory setting and members of an online participant panel.
Findings
Three studies demonstrate that while building abstractness by expanding a brand’s product portfolio can generate favorable brand evaluations, this positive effect is marginal compared to when the brand is imbued with human-like characteristics. Furthermore, the favorable effects on brand equity because of abstractness associated with a human-like brand image are evident in protection from brand dilution in the face of negative publicity.
Research limitations/implications
The findings suggest that a consideration of different forms of abstractness is key to unlocking the complexities of understanding customer-based brand equity.
Practical implications
This research shows that although building abstractness through a diversified product portfolio or a symbolic, human-like brand image can favorably impact customer-based brand equity (i.e. attitudes and responses to negative publicity), the former strategy has a marginal effect compared to the latter.
Originality/value
This is the first research to conceptualize brand abstractness as stemming from broad portfolios or from human-like brand images. Additionally, it provides a holistic understanding of how these two forms of abstractness jointly influence brand evaluations and responses to negative publicity.
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Hanna Gendel-Guterman and Shalom Levy
This study aims to examine the effect of private label brand (PLB) products’ negative publicity (NP) events on PLB general image and retailer’s store image, because of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effect of private label brand (PLB) products’ negative publicity (NP) events on PLB general image and retailer’s store image, because of the suggested interdependency between retailer’s store image and PLB image.
Design/methodology/approach
Three empirical studies were conducted to test the NP effect – Studies 1 and 2, respectively; and test the occurrence of moderate and extreme NP events regarding the functional PLB product category. Study 3 replicates prior studies conducted on the hedonic product category. In these studies, participants were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The studies use factor analysis methods following t-tests and paths analyses, using structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
Findings show that both moderate and extreme NP have an influence on the PLB’s image dimensions. These effects “spilled over” to the entire range of PLB products, regardless of the category of the damaged product. Regarding retailer’s store image, the effect of NP was retained in the product-related image context and did not exceed that of the store-related image. However, in relation to functional products, when NP is very extreme, the effect on PLB image exceeds that of retailer’s store image.
Practical implications
Retailers should invest more efforts in their PLB product selection, quality maintenance and supervision to eliminate potential damage from events related to their PLB products.
Originality/value
The originality of this study is in the association of two streams of research: NP effects and the relationship between PLB image and retailer’s store image.
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Angie Chung and Hua Jiang
Based on the framing theory and the associative network theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model that examines the impact of employing corporate social…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the framing theory and the associative network theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model that examines the impact of employing corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication in apology statements after negative publicity. Specifically, this study examines the role of CSR fit and CSR history in reducing anger and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). This study also examines whether perceived CSR motivation and skepticism toward the apology statement mediate the effect of CSR fit and CSR history on anger and NWOM.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was a 2×2 between-subject design manipulating CSR fit (high or low) and CSR history (long or short).
Findings
The findings of this study suggest that strategically employing CSR communication in an apology statement after negative publicity may reduce negative consumer reactions.
Originality/value
The effects of CSR history and CSR fit have been studied in different contexts, but the effects of mentioning the two components in terms of apology statements had been understudied. This paper fulfills an identified need to study how employing CSR communication in apology statements after negative publicity can mitigate negative audience reactions.
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Juhi Gahlot Sarkar and Abhigyan Sarkar
The purposes of this qualitative study are to investigate brand embarrassment which is a unique social consumption emotion and to identify possible antecedents, consequences and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purposes of this qualitative study are to investigate brand embarrassment which is a unique social consumption emotion and to identify possible antecedents, consequences and moderating factors associated with it.
Design/methodology/approach
The study reviewed a large volume of literature on embarrassment. The literature review was followed by a series of semi-structured, in-depth interviews of selected brand-conscious young adult informants in India. The data collected through such interviews were coded following grounded theory method.
Findings
The final outcome of the study is a comprehensive grounded theory framework. The framework depicts various antecedents and consequences of brand embarrassment and specific moderating factors shaping the influences of specific antecedents on brand embarrassment.
Originality/value
The value of this qualitative study lies in developing an elaborate grounded theory framework showing the inter-relationships between brand embarrassment and other related concepts.
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