Abstract
A growing body of work points to the detrimental effects consumer animosity is likely to have on consumer attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. However, few studies focus on the impact of animosity on brand management, specifically, the association between brand animosity and behavioral intentions (boycott intentions). The main objective of the present study is to explore the consequences of attributing betrayal to a brand on consumer attitudes and emotions toward the brand on the one hand and the underlying mechanisms (intentions to boycott and/or spread negative word of mouth) consumers employ to cope with the provoked attitudes and emotions, on the other hand. A convenience sample of 386 Israeli consumers was elicited for participation with the assistance of a panel firm, iPanel. Data was collected over March 2024. Findings suggest that brand animosity is most strongly correlated with perceived betrayal (β=0.67), followed by boycott intentions (β=0.40) and negative word of mouth (β=0.20). Conclusions are drawn with an emphasis on the theoretical (e.g., extension of the theory of planned behavior and its integration with the Dual Process Theory) and practical implications (e.g., brand management). Avenues for future research are also provided.