Brand (In)fidelity: When Flirting with the Competition Strengthens Brand Relationships

Irene  Consiglio; Daniella  Kupor; Francesca  Gino; Michael I. Norton

Article | Journal of Consumer Psychology

Brand (In)fidelity: When Flirting with the Competition Strengthens Brand Relationships

by Irene Consiglio, Daniella Kupor, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton

Abstract

We document the existence and consequences of brand flirting: a short-lived experience in which a consumer engages with and/or indulges in the alluring qualities of a brand without committing to it. We propose that brand flirting is exciting and that when consumers flirt with a brand other than their typically preferred brand in the same product category, they can transfer this excitement to their preferred brand—resulting in even greater love and desire for it. Consistent with this conceptual account, we demonstrate that this brand flirting effect is mediated by excitement. Moreover, the brand flirting effect is most likely to emerge under conditions that facilitate arousal transfer: when consumers are highly committed to their preferred brand as well as when the brand with which consumers flirt is similar to their preferred brand.

Keywords: Consumer Behavior; Brands and Branding; Emotions;

Format: Print

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Citation:

Consiglio, Irene, Daniella Kupor, Francesca Gino, and Michael I. Norton. "Brand (In)fidelity: When Flirting with the Competition Strengthens Brand Relationships." Journal of Consumer Psychology 28, no. 1 (January 2018): 5–22.

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Brand (In)fidelity: When Flirting with the Competition Strengthens Brand Relationships

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