CHRONIC BRAND HATE: CONCEPTUALIZATION, SCALE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION

Abstract

Hate in psychology literature has largely been examined in the context of interpersonal connections, neglecting people’s propensity to hate objects. This kind of object hate is more relevant in the case of brands, where the object possesses meaning and function, referred to as “brand hate” in consumption decisions. Brand hate (BH) is identified as the most intense negative emotion consumers possess towards a focal brand that performs poorly and gives them bad experiences on individual and group levels. Being an intense negative emotion, BH has emerged as a significant concern for brands. Literature suggests that people experiencing BH engage in various revengeful actions like negative word-of-mouth, public complaining, protest, boycott, and participating in anti-brand communities. Those who engage in revengeful actions strive to educate, raise awareness, exert influence, and ultimately persuade others to adopt their negative beliefs about the focal brand. By doing so, they aim to shape the perceptions individuals hold about the brand, consequently impacting their purchase decisions. Given that the value of a brand is inherently tied to the associations customers form and maintain, intentionally altering these connections becomes a crucial strategy to undermine the brand's reputation. This process is further exacerbated due to an individual’s tendency to prioritize negative information over positive information during decision-making—a phenomenon known as negativity bias. Interestingly, despite its significant role in consumer decision-making, research on negative emotions remained neglected till the early 21st century. However, after remaining highly ignored for the longest time, research on this dark side of the consumer–brand relationship has recently started to gain traction. In particular, BH is drawing increasing interest for its relevance in the consumer–brand relationship and has emerged as one of the most researched negative emotions in the consumer–brand relationship context. The reason for this may be the pervasiveness of digital platforms in this era, which enable individuals to inflict harm upon brands with little to no effort. In a world interconnected via the internet and social media, it has become nearly impossible for firms to escape consumer criticism. Psychologists propose that hate manifests in both spontaneous and enduring forms, as it is observed that hatred can persist beyond specific events, encompassing both temporary emotional experiences and long-term sentiments. The immediate form of hate, also known as "immediate hate," arises spontaneously, primarily triggered by the intense evaluation of a significant incident.