New publication

02.09.2020

Our new publication on consumer reactions to the VW emission crisis examines "the dark side" of consumer-brand relationships. It explores how consumers who disidentify with VW reacted to the crisis. It shows that disidentification can stimulate hostile emotions and schadenfreude, which function as mediators of the influence of disidentification on brand opposition, i.e. negative word-of-mouth, brand avoidance and intentions to punish the brand.

The article appeared open access (thanks to a voucher by Vienna University) in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/cb.1866