Purpose This paper aims to synthesise research on conversational agents in the context of brand relationships to map the current state of knowledge, propose an integrative framework and develop a future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach This study analyses 293 publications from Scopus and Web of Science (2004–2025), combining bibliometric analysis, topic modelling and a multi-step validation protocol based on embedding analysis and expert consensus. Findings Five thematic clusters explain how conversational agents shape brand relationships through functional competence, social simulation, anthropomorphic projection, technological affordances and emotional resonance. An integrative framework structures these findings into an explanatory model linking configurable design features, psychological mediators and brand relationship outcomes. The current boundaries of knowledge are defined by three key tensions: the anthropomorphism paradox, the stage-contingency problem and the intensity asymmetry between positive and negative outcomes. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first reviews to examine conversational agent research through the brand relationship perspective, combining bibliometric mapping with language-model topic modelling and expert validation. The proposed framework bridges descriptive synthesis and mechanism-based modelling, and the expert validation protocol helps address the subjectivity concerns associated with traditional literature reviews.
Purpose This paper aims to compare non-co-branded and co-branded extension strategies in relation to the feedback effect of category extensions on the existing brand, with a particular focus on different levels of customer identification with the existing brand. Design/methodology/approach This research applies the enabler logic from schema theory and uses two experimental studies to compare the effect of non-co-branded and co-branded extension strategies on customers’ attitude towards the existing brand. Findings The results of this study indicate that a co-branded extension strategy, through a serial mediation, leads to a more favourable attitude towards the existing brand than a non-co-branded strategy. Using a co-brand results in a positive attitude change for customers with low levels of identification and mitigates the negative feedback effect for highly identified customers. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this research relate to the use of a single level of incongruity, identification as the segmentation criterion and sports team brands as the context. Future research should investigate other degrees of incongruity, segmentation criteria and empirical contexts. Practical implications This article recommends a co-branded extension strategy for category extensions. It protects against the negative feedback effect on customers with high levels of identification and has the potential to attract customers with low levels of identification. Originality/value This paper contributes to brand extension literature by comparing extension strategies regarding the feedback effect of category extensions on existing brands, separately for customers with low and high levels of identification. This study provides a novel theoretical underpinning for these effects through the enabler logic and explores the underlying psychological mechanism.
Purpose While prior research has focused on purpose articulation and its performance effects, limited attention has been paid to how brand purpose is implemented. This paper aims to identify and systematize the main pathways through which brand purpose is activated. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a grounded theory-informed comparative qualitative document analysis of 57 purpose-driven brands, drawing on company websites and supplementary company materials. The analysis is complemented by workshops with senior managers from three high-end lifestyle brands. Findings The study develops a brand purpose activation framework that identifies five pathways through which brands enact purpose: product-based activation, business practices, direct support for beneficiaries, impact-per-purchase programs, and communication-based initiatives. Stronger forms of activation are observed when purpose is implemented in ways that allow each product sold to directly advance the stated purpose, rather than being implemented primarily through communication. Practical implications The framework offers managers an overview of the main pathways through which brand purpose can be implemented and lived in everyday branding practice. Purpose activation is strongest when each product sold directly advances the stated purpose, thereby creating a credible link between business activity and societal or environmental impact. Originality/value By shifting attention from what brands claim to how purpose is enacted in practice, the study addresses an important gap in the literature and introduces an analytical framework that distinguishes between substantive and primarily symbolic forms of purpose activation.
Purpose The study aims to use expectancy-disconfirmation and justice theories to investigate consumers' deep-rooted psyche and overt behavior. It examines customer rage and negative engagement as mediators between perceived injustice and negative brand trust and word of mouth following an online delivery service failure incident.Design/methodology/approach The research uses fictitious online service failure scenarios for a cross-sectional structural path analysis, based on a pilot study (n = 176) and two main studies (nStudy1 = 471 and nStudy2 = 217).Findings Results show that customer rage and negative engagement serve as the crucial link between perceived injustice and negative brand trust and word-of-mouth. This elucidates the factors underlying and the effects of the dark side of customer engagement. The findings also partially support self-esteem as a moderator of the direct relation between the mediators and outcomes.Originality/value In the context of the service industry and emerging economy, the findings reveal the deep-rooted triggers of negative engagement and customer rage, which affect the audience's intentions and actions, especially those with high self-esteem. The research not only contributes to the limited literature on negative customer engagement but also aids managers in appreciating and leveraging the complex causes and serious effects of negative customer engagement. It offers theoretical mechanisms and empirical evidence for interpreting and managing rage, negative engagement and self-esteem across various user segments in today's rapidly evolving quick-commerce industry.
Purpose This study aims to examine the role of anthropomorphism in mitigating the effects of brand transgression from the perspectives of attachment theory and role theory. It also investigates the underlying mechanism of brand attachment orientations (secure and dismissive) and boundary conditions of brand role (partner vs servant) in these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Three experiments were conducted to test the proposed relationships. Study 1 examined how anthropomorphizing brands influences advocacy intentions. Study 2 explored the underlying mechanisms of secure and dismissive brand attachment orientations. Study 3 investigated the boundary condition of brand role. Findings The findings suggest that advocacy intentions are higher for anthropomorphized brands compared to non-anthropomorphized brands following a transgression. Secure brand attachment orientation explains the relationships between brand anthropomorphism and advocacy intentions. For non-anthropomorphized brands, using a partner role framing leads to higher advocacy intentions compared to using a servant role framing. For anthropomorphized brands, no significant difference in advocacy intentions was found between servant and partner roles. Originality/value This study offers novel insights by integrating the literature on brand anthropomorphism, attachment orientations and brand role in the context of brand transgression. While previous studies have predominantly examined brand anthropomorphism in positive contexts, there is limited research about its effectiveness in negative contexts, such as brand transgression. The brand transgression literature calls for research on the role of relational mechanisms in managing negative outcomes. This study addresses these calls for research by adopting a relational mechanism, using brand attachment orientations and brand role, to show that brand anthropomorphism mitigates the negative outcomes of brand transgression through secure brand attachment orientations. Furthermore, a partner role helps manage consumer advocacy for non-anthropomorphized brands after a transgression.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how brand community exit following a scandal might be affected by factors such as membership duration, participation, premium vs non-premium brand status and model implication in the scandal. Design/methodology/approach Using hazard modeling, this study compares the exit behavior of 15,418 brand community members of Audi and Volkswagen (VW) forums within the VWVortex community before and after the VW turbocharged direct injection emissions scandal. Exit likelihood was assessed based on participation, duration, brand status and scandal implication. Findings Although long-term members remained less likely to exit than newer members, the scandal increased their likelihood of exit relative to the pre-scandal period. Overall community participation generally reduced members’ likelihood of exit, with particularly strong retention effects observed among members of the premium-brand community during the post-scandal period. Contrary to predictions from prior research, members of the implicated premium-brand community (Audi) were more likely to stay than those of the implicated non-premium brand (Volkswagen) following the scandal. Practical implications Brand communities can buffer against losses during negative brand events, but at the expense of longer-tenured members. The relative status of brands also affects the likelihood of exit, such that the resilience of brand communities depends on brand positioning. Brand managers should monitor long-tenured members closely following a scandal and focus recovery efforts on non-premium members. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to examine exit behavior within brand communities during major scandals using large-scale, real-world data. It provides clear comparisons of how different brand communities within a shared brand portfolio respond in times of crisis.
Purpose Research on brand purpose has largely focused on major corporations, with limited understanding of how small, resource-constrained brands enact purpose in identity-sensitive markets. This study aims to develop a purpose activation framework for micro-brands, explaining how inclusive purpose is constructed through situated practices, co-created with queer communities and translated into community-level outcomes within nightlife ecosystems.Design/methodology/approach A sequential multi-method design was used. Study 1 used in-depth interviews (n = 42) and field observation to identify how queer micro-brands embed inclusive purpose in practices of safety, self-expression, emotional refuge and belonging. Study 2 used a 2 & times; 2 experiment (n = 412) to test how purpose cues and identity alignment shape perceived authenticity and emotional resonance. Study 3 surveyed visitors (n = 612) and used partial least squares structural equation modelling to examine a pathway in which inclusive purpose enhances authenticity, which strengthens community attachment and loyalty.Findings Across studies, inclusive purpose consistently increases perceived authenticity. Authenticity enhances emotional resonance and strengthens community attachment, which drives loyalty and advocacy. Regulatory climate emerges as a key boundary condition, weakening the effect of purpose on authenticity.Originality/value This research positions micro-brands as relational and cultural actors within nightlife and tourism ecosystems. It extends brand purpose theory by conceptualising purpose as a practice-based construct and by identifying a mechanism through which authenticity and community attachment activate purpose in identity-sensitive contexts.
Purpose This research aims to examine how guilt emotion influences consumers’ choices between partner brands (work with consumers) and servant brands (serve consumers) and the underlying mediation mechanism of consumer perception (i.e. perceived deservingness). Design/methodology/approach Three experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 provided preliminary evidence showing that guilty consumers are more likely to choose partner (vs servant) brands. Study 2 examined perceived deservingness as the underlying mechanism using a manipulation-of-mediator approach. Study 3 replicated the main effect and further demonstrated that perceived deservingness mediated the interaction effect of guilt and brand roles on consumers’ purchase likelihood. Findings The findings reveal that guilty consumers prefer partner brands compared with servant brands. Specifically, this interaction effect arises because guilty consumers tend to avoid servant brands, which symbolically reinforce their reduced sense of self-deservingness induced by guilt. Originality/value This study pioneers the empirical integration of brand anthropomorphism and incidental emotion. First, this study enriches the anthropomorphism branding literature by providing a new antecedent factor related to incidental emotion. Second, this paper brings to light how anthropomorphized brand roles influence consumer responses. The findings show that this anthropomorphism strategy might induce a negative influence to brands and extend prior research by examining how consumers respond to different brand roles (i.e. partner vs servant).
Purpose In recent years, celebrity brands have become widely available in major retailers. However, knowledge on characteristics and outcomes of celebrity brand – retailer relationships is sparse. Aligned with the brand resonance model, this study proposes a triadic fit (i.e. three distinct types of fit) framework of effective celebrity brand – retailer relationships and spillover effects on retailer outcomes. Differences in effects across celebrity worshippers versus non-worshippers are also examined. Design/methodology/approach Two surveys were conducted. Direct effects were tested in Study 1 (n = 154, undergraduate student sample). Results were validated and extended by adding moderation effects in Study 2 (n = 433, adult shopper sample). Consistent partial least squares structural equation modeling and bootstrap multigroup analysis were used to evaluate hypotheses. Findings Results from the two studies support the triadic fit theorization and reveal that store attractiveness is enhanced by the fit between (1) the celebrity and the product category, (2) the celebrity and the store, and (3) the celebrity brand and the store’s brand assortment. Furthermore, the findings support sequential relationships between store attractiveness, store equity and store loyalty. Study 2 reveals that the effects of the three fit constructs on store attractiveness vary across celebrity worshippers versus non-worshippers, offering a nuanced perspective on consumer evaluations of partnerships between celebrity brands and retailers. Originality/value By examining when and how celebrity brands benefit retailers, this research advances the celebrity brands literature. Practical insights for managers of celebrity brands and retailers on forging partnerships to enhance store loyalty across different segments are offered.
Purpose In the context of fragrances, this research aims to explore how the diagnosticity of product stories (presence of scent attribute descriptions) and brand stories (absence of scent attribute descriptions) impacts online purchase intention, proposes a process explanation and identifies boundary conditions. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 investigated the relationship between story diagnosticity and online fragrance purchase intention. Study 2 tested a process explanation. Study 3 examined the moderating effect of story creation source (human vs AI). Findings The cue diagnosticity framework predicts that product attributes become diagnostic only when brand reputation (a high-scope cue) is positive. This research shows that, irrespective of brand reputation, product stories (a low-scope cue) were consistently more diagnostic than brand stories in enhancing online fragrance purchase intention, regardless of the brand story theme. This is because product stories directly allowed consumers to judge a fragrance and evoked more vivid olfactory imagery. However, olfactory imagery vividness was attenuated when product stories were created by AI. Practical implications To increase online fragrance sales, brands should emphasize scent attributes in their storytelling rather than brand evolution or values. This strategy is particularly beneficial for new or low-reputation brands, enabling them to enhance online sales and compete with more established brands. Originality/value This research proposes the novel concept of “story diagnosticity” and conceptualizes the impact of high- and low-scope cues on diagnosticity. It also contributes to the storytelling and sensory marketing literature streams by examining how story diagnosticity influences online fragrance purchase intention, uncovering a cognitive mechanism and identifying boundary conditions.
Purpose This research aims to investigate how destination logos can enhance brand communication through improved recognition, specifically by merging slogans and destination names with the logo, based on advance organizer theory. The research also explores the moderating effect of destination familiarity on logo recognition as well as the relationship between logo recognition and behavioral intentions. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a recognition task and three experiments to test the hypotheses. The recognition task assesses the recognition rate of existing destination logos. Experiments 1 and 2 examine the effects of merging slogans and destination names with a logo on logo recognition, with destination familiarity as a moderating factor. Experiment 2 uses black-and-white logos to reduce the impact of color. Experiment 3 uses fictional destination logos to test the causal effect of logo recognition on consumers’ behavioral intentions. Findings The results demonstrate that merging the slogan and destination name significantly enhances logo recognition. This effect is further amplified when both elements are combined. Destination familiarity moderates this effect; high familiarity reduces the importance of merging slogans and names. Logo recognition positively influences behavioral intentions. Originality/value This research advances the branding literature by introducing and empirically validating advance organizer theory within the context of logo design. It demonstrates that a logo can function as an expository organizer, enhancing recognition through meaningful learning, particularly in low-exposure settings like destination branding. The research provides a practical solution for improving consumers’ recognition of destination logos. The principle can also be extended to startups and rebranding contexts, where text-integrated logos can accelerate recognition and strengthen brand communication.
PurposeDrawing upon social exchange theory, this study aims to examine how social media influencers' community drives customer engagement behavior through perceived interactivity in the presence of digital rituals in an emerging market.Design/methodology/approachA field survey questionnaire was used to gather data from 320 automobile customers, employing purposive non-probability sampling technique. The data was analyzed using SPSS PROCESS macro and Smart PLS 4.1.1.6.FindingsResults show that influencers' community boosts engagement, with perceived interactivity playing a key role. Digital rituals moderate the link between interactivity and engagement. Notably, the mediating effect of interactivity is stronger when digital rituals are low, suggesting that high digital ritual presence diminishes the indirect impact of influencers' community on customer engagement behavior.Originality/valueThe study has contributed contextually by collecting a unique dataset from automotive customers in an emerging market. Theoretically, the model has been conceptualized through the social exchange theory by recommending perceived interactivity as a mediator and digital rituals as a moderator.
Purpose This study aims to explore whether romantic emotional experiences influence new product adoption intentions through the lens of novelty-seeking. Design/methodology/approach To evaluate the assertions, the authors conduct five studies to test the proposed model. Study 1 surveys multiple product categories to examine dispositional romanticism. Studies 2–5 use experiments to test the effect of induced romance, mediation via novelty-seeking and moderation by product knowledge. Findings Romantic experiences are associated with higher new product adoption intention, and this relationship operates through increased novelty-seeking behaviour. The effect is weaker when consumers have higher relevant product knowledge. Originality/value While prior work has documented multiple drivers of new product adoption, including product innovativeness and quality, affective influences have not been sufficiently explored. This study focuses on the more specific construct of romantic aesthetic emotion and tests whether it functions as an underlying source of novelty-oriented motivation in the context of new products. The results reveal the circumstances in which romantic cues are more likely to support new product marketing.
Purpose While near-expired products are safe to consume, they are often avoided because of social image concerns, which leads to unnecessary waste and undermines sustainability. The purpose of this study is to examine how different types of influencers, including real human influencers, digital human influencers with human-like appearances and intelligent unrealistic influencers with nonhuman appearances, shape consumer responses to near-expired products by investigating whether differences in influencer realism reduce consumers' perceived face threat and thereby encourage the acceptance of such socially sensitive products.Design/methodology/approach Four experiments were conducted. Study 1 used a 2 (product type: near-expired vs normal) & times; 3 (influencer type: real human influencers vs digital human influencers vs intelligent unrealistic influencers) between-subjects design. Studies 2A and 2B explored the underlying mechanism through a single-factor design, and Study 3 introduced a boundary condition through a 2 (green label: presence vs absence) & times; 3 (influencer type) between-subjects design.Findings Across four experiments, this study reveals that compared with real human or digital human influencers, intelligent unrealistic influencers consistently increase purchase intention for near-expired products through reduced perceived face threat. This effect is moderated by the presence of green labels, which reframe the purchase as an environmentally responsible behaviour and offset the face threat of low quality or low cost.Originality/value This research improves the understanding of influencer effectiveness by revealing the psychological mechanism of face threat in socially sensitive contexts and highlights the potential of intelligent unrealistic influencers to promote sustainable consumption.
Purpose This paper aims to examine how product design relates to brand heritage and how sustainable design reinforces this process in the luxury furniture sector. It focuses on functionality, aesthetics and symbolism and their effects on consumer perceptions of longevity, stability and adaptability. Given sustainability's central role in luxury contexts, sustainable design is tested as both a direct driver of heritage and a moderator of design effects.Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted among 448 consumers and followers of a leading online retailer of high-end furniture brands. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed relationships.Findings Functionality and symbolism are positively associated with all three heritage dimensions, while aesthetics show more selective associations. Sustainable design directly strengthens heritage, particularly longevity and adaptability. Interaction effects indicate that sustainability amplifies the role of aesthetics in shaping heritage, wile its effects on functionality and symbolism are limited.Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that integrating sustainability into design strategies strengthens heritage perceptions and supports long-term brand relevance. The study offers guidance for luxury brands aiming to align design with evolving consumer values.Originality/value This study advances research on product design and brand heritage by showing how consumers translate multidimensional design perceptions into temporal brand heritage beliefs in a design-intensive luxury category. It further demonstrates that sustainable design operates as a direct heritage signal and as an interpretative frame that selectively amplifies aesthetic cues.
Purpose While some companies are withdrawing support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, other companies are continuing their support, leading to uncertainty around whether and how these strategic decisions affect consumer responses. This study aims to examine how consumers respond to DEI (dis)continuance within the context of corporate political advocacy as a function of political ideology. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses two studies, one using Web-scraped data and one experiment. Findings The results show that generally, patronage responses to DEI discontinuance are negative. This effect is moderated by political ideology, where conservative (liberal) consumers respond more positively to DEI discontinuance (continuance) and liberals exhibit more polarized responses than conservatives. Self-brand connection and perceived brand authenticity mediate the effects. Originality/value Consumers have exhibited varied responses to companies’ retraction/reduction of DEI efforts, raising the question of whether and how companies should engage (or disengage) in DEI in their marketing strategies. To date, research has not addressed this question. The results have implications for theory and practice in corporate political advocacy and brand management.
PurposeIn the context of new luxury consumption patterns, consumers are increasingly concerned with the craftsmanship image conveyed by luxury brands. This study aims to conceptualize and develop a scale for perceived craftsmanship from the consumer's perspective. The research further examines the influence of perceived craftsmanship on brand loyalty, incorporating the mediating role of consumer well-being and the moderating effect of inconspicuous luxury motivation.Design/methodology/approachIn Study 1, initial measurement items were generated through a literature review, consumer interviews and secondary data. Data were collected from 457 consumers, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to refine and validate the scale, resulting in a five-item measurement instrument. In Study 2, data from 377 luxury brand consumers were gathered, and the proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling in Mplus 8.0.FindingsResults indicate that perceived craftsmanship within luxury brands is characterized by superior quality, skills inheritance, crafting dedication and being down-to-earth. Perceived craftsmanship positively influences brand loyalty, with consumer well-being (hedonic and eudaimonic well-being) acting as mediators. The desire for inconspicuous luxury moderates the impact of perceived craftsmanship and consumer well-being.Originality/valueWhile prior research has provided valuable insights into the production aspects of luxury craftsmanship, it has largely overlooked the psychological and relational implications for consumers. This study stands among the limited number of investigations that conceptualizes and operationalizes perceived luxury craftsmanship through a consumer-centric perspective. By further elucidating the underlying mechanisms and moderating role of how perceived craftsmanship fosters brand loyalty, this research contributes to a nuanced conceptual framework of perceived craftsmanship and deepens the understanding of consumer well-being, brand loyalty and inconspicuous consumption.
Purpose This study aims to examine when favorable attitudes toward local food translate into preference for host-country food brands in globally mobile consumption. Drawing on the attitude–behavior gap framework, it investigates how identity-related self-views (multiculturalism and globalism) and social categorization tendencies (in-group support and perceived out-group rejection) condition the relationship between local food attitudes and host-country food brand preference. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a survey-based design using data collected from digital nomads residing in Bali, Thailand and Mexico. Moderation analyses are conducted to examine how identity-related orientations and social categorization processes shape the consistency of relationship between attitudes toward local food and preference for host-country food brands. Findings The results show that multicultural self-views strengthen the positive relationship between attitudes toward local food and host-country brand preference, whereas globalist self-views weaken this relationship. Moreover, social categorization tendencies further condition these effects: perceived in-group support amplifies the negative moderating role of globalism, while perceived out-group rejection attenuates the positive effect of multiculturalism. Practical implications The findings offer insights for local brand managers operating in markets characterized by transient and globally mobile consumers. Understanding how identity-related orientations and social environments shape brand preference can help firms design branding strategies that facilitate the translation of positive product evaluations into sustained preference among mobile consumer segments. Originality/value This research advances product and brand management literature by extending the attitude–behavior gap framework to brand preference formation under global mobility. By conceptualizing identity-related orientations and social categorization as boundary conditions, the study demonstrates when favorable evaluations of local products are enacted as brand preference beyond domestic markets.
PurposePhonetic elements in brand names shape perceptions of and preferences for brands. Previous research has focused on the effects of vowels (e.g. front vs back) and consonants (e.g. voiceless vs voiced; fricatives vs stops) while largely neglecting the potential role of nasal codas, which are commonly found in many brand names. To fill this gap, this paper aims to explore whether and how nasal codas in brand names affect consumers' brand perceptions and preferences.Design/methodology/approachExperiment 1 examined whether nasal codas in brand names influenced gender perceptions of brand name pronunciation. Experiments 2 and 3 examined whether nasal codas in brand names influenced brand warmth and brand preference, respectively. Experiment 4 examined the moderating role of product type in the relationship between nasal codas in brand names and brand preference. An internal meta-analysis assessed the robustness of the sound symbolism of nasal codas in brand names.FindingsThe results indicated that nasal codas in brand names enhanced the masculine perception of brand name pronunciation, which weakened brand warmth, thereby reducing brand preference. This effect was weaker for utilitarian than hedonic products.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this research is the first to reveal the unique role of nasal codas in shaping consumers' attitudes toward brands. It offers new insights into sound symbolism in marketing and practical implications for brand managers regarding the use of nasal codas in brand naming.
