TY - JOUR
T1 - Explaining the mechanism of brand hate
T2 - a mixed-method investigation using moderated mediation in emerging markets
AU - Husnain, Mudassir
AU - Syed, Fauzia
AU - Hussain, Khalid
AU - Zhang, Qingyu
AU - Usman, Muhammad
AU - Javed, Muzhar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2023/11/1
Y1 - 2023/11/1
N2 - Purpose: Brand hate as a distinct phenomenon of consumer negativity has attracted considerable research attention in recent years. However, scant attention has been paid to explain the underlying mechanism of brand hate. Therefore, the present study aims to unveil how brand hate stirs in embarrassing situations and what repercussions it ignites that deteriorate the consumer–brand relationship. Design/methodology/approach: The present study follows a mixed-method research design by conducting in-depth interviews with 16 consumers and then collecting three waves of time-lagged data from 217 respondents of two different countries. The reliability and validity have been established through confirmatory factor analysis, and hypotheses were analyzed using structural equation modeling and moderated-mediated models. Findings: The results of both qualitative and quantitative investigations reveal that brand embarrassment instigates brand hate, and brand hate leads to brand detachment. Brand hate also mediates the relationship between brand embarrassment and brand detachment. Consumer vanity enhances the strength of brand embarrassment's effects on brand hate. This relationship further depicts the moderated mediation pattern as consumers with high vanity traits express extreme emotions of hate and detachment from the embarrassing brands. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the moderating role of consumer vanity is more pronounced among young consumers. Originality/value: The study marks an initial attempt to explain the whole process of brand hate by incorporating brand embarrassment, brand detachment, consumer vanity and age in an integrated moderated mediation model. The study enhances brand managers' understanding of the severity of the consequences of embarrassing situations and devising preventive strategies.
AB - Purpose: Brand hate as a distinct phenomenon of consumer negativity has attracted considerable research attention in recent years. However, scant attention has been paid to explain the underlying mechanism of brand hate. Therefore, the present study aims to unveil how brand hate stirs in embarrassing situations and what repercussions it ignites that deteriorate the consumer–brand relationship. Design/methodology/approach: The present study follows a mixed-method research design by conducting in-depth interviews with 16 consumers and then collecting three waves of time-lagged data from 217 respondents of two different countries. The reliability and validity have been established through confirmatory factor analysis, and hypotheses were analyzed using structural equation modeling and moderated-mediated models. Findings: The results of both qualitative and quantitative investigations reveal that brand embarrassment instigates brand hate, and brand hate leads to brand detachment. Brand hate also mediates the relationship between brand embarrassment and brand detachment. Consumer vanity enhances the strength of brand embarrassment's effects on brand hate. This relationship further depicts the moderated mediation pattern as consumers with high vanity traits express extreme emotions of hate and detachment from the embarrassing brands. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the moderating role of consumer vanity is more pronounced among young consumers. Originality/value: The study marks an initial attempt to explain the whole process of brand hate by incorporating brand embarrassment, brand detachment, consumer vanity and age in an integrated moderated mediation model. The study enhances brand managers' understanding of the severity of the consequences of embarrassing situations and devising preventive strategies.
KW - Brand detachment
KW - Brand embarrassment
KW - Brand hate
KW - Consumer vanity
KW - Consumer–brand relationship
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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/2d3bc498-7d9c-3a14-97ef-ba01f5862aee/
U2 - 10.1108/k-12-2021-1246
DO - 10.1108/k-12-2021-1246
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85129129971
SN - 0368-492X
VL - 52
SP - 3857
EP - 3877
JO - Kybernetes
JF - Kybernetes
IS - 10
ER -