The impact of brand inauthenticity on consumer emotional and behavioral responses

Abstract

Purpose – This study, guided by appraisal theory and balance theory, aims to examine consumers’ emotional and behavioral responses to brand inauthenticity. Design/methodology/approach – Critical incident methodology, where participants describe an experience with a brand that they viewed as inauthentic in an online survey, is used. Findings – Brand inauthenticity is perceived by consumers to be a betrayal, and this perception leads consumers to feel anger, disappointment and anxiety. Each negative emotion results in a unique pattern of behaviors (retaliation, complaining, loyalty, detachment and information seeking) to cope with inauthenticity. Anger leads consumers to be reactionary, disappointment to distance and anxiety to wait-and-see. Research limitations/implications – This research extends the brand authenticity and brand hate literature by empirically examining brand inauthenticity and the resulting emotional and behavioral responses consumers have in their inauthentic experiences with brands. Practical implications – The findings provide insights to brand managers to better understand how consumers appraise brand inauthenticity and its downstream effects. It is important to recognize that there are multiple negative emotions that influence consumers. Reflective of how they cope with inauthenticity, angry consumers, disappointed consumers and anxious consumers desire different things from the brand. Originality/value – By understanding the multiple negative emotions consumers may feel and their corresponding behaviors, brand managers can be better prepared to address consumer reactions to brand inauthenticity.