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Brand (in)fidelity: When Flirting with the Competition Strengthens Brand Relationships
Author(s) -
Consiglio Irene,
Kupor Daniella M.,
Gino Francesca,
Norton Michael I.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of consumer psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.433
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1532-7663
pISSN - 1057-7408
DOI - 10.1002/jcpy.1011
Subject(s) - flirting , advertising , brand equity , brand extension , brand management , brand awareness , psychology , fidelity , product (mathematics) , business , social psychology , computer science , mathematics , telecommunications , geometry
We document the existence and consequences of brand flirting: a short‐lived experience in which a consumer engages with and/or indulges in the alluring qualities of a brand without committing to it. We propose that brand flirting is exciting, and that when consumers flirt with a brand other than their typically preferred brand in the same product category, they can transfer this excitement to their preferred brand—resulting in even greater love and desire for it. Consistent with this conceptual account, we demonstrate that this brand flirting effect is mediated by excitement. Moreover, the brand flirting effect is most likely to emerge under conditions that facilitate arousal transfer: when consumers are highly committed to their preferred brand, and when the brand with which consumers flirt is similar to their preferred brand.