The Mediating Role Of Anti-Brand Community Engagement In The Relationship Between Negative Emotional Relationship And Negative Ewom

Abstract

Recent study indicates that brands are now being perceived as social entities that have a significant impact on how customers interact with one other and with consumer groups that have a tendency to oppose a particular brand, sometimes referred to as anti-brand communities. While there has been significant focus on customer brand engagement in marketing literature, there has been limited consideration paid to negative consumer engagement. Comprehending poor customer brand engagement is crucial due to its propensity for fostering anti-brand behaviors. The aim of this study is to investigate the phenomenon of individual customer-brand ties to explain how these unfavorable views manifest themselves in membership in the many online anti-brand organizations that are now active. Furthermore, the expansion of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) over several years has led to a rising number of online assessments, as well as a general increase in people expressing their own interests and talks with one another online. As a result, the negativity that occurs in eWOM is thought to be an outcome of anti-brand networks generating their negative communications. In addition, this study reveals various mediating components that may either enhance or change the degree of connections between the issues listed above. It was decided to run a survey online to handle the issue and examine the level of linkages between factors. The study focused on members of anti-brand organizations associated with a specific brand category on social media platforms. The research findings provide brand managers with insights into how they can address their brand's poor online reputation and understand the role of brand communities in the reputation management process.