Article2019

Secure or fearful, who will be more resentful? Investigating the interaction between regulatory focus and attachment style

21 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Product & Brand Management

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Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification Marketing and Advertising Strategies Customer Service Quality and Loyalty

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of consumers’ individual differences on their reactions to brand failure. Design/methodology/approach Three studies (one qualitative, one survey and one experiment) were conducted. Study 1 aimed to understand consumers’ thoughts at the time of brand failure. Studies 2 and 3 investigated the impact of regulatory focus and its interaction with consumers’ attachment style on their reactions to brand failure. Findings This research establishes that consumers demonstrate different types of behaviors at the time of brand failure. Specifically, those with a promotion focus display less negative (revenge and brand avoidance) and more positive (trust and loyalty) behavior than those with a prevention focus. Furthermore, this research shows an interaction between consumers’ attachment style and regulatory focus. The impact of regulatory focus holds only for secure consumers; for fearful consumers, regulatory focus does not change their behavior. Research limitations/implications The study reveals the impact of regulatory focus and attachment styles on consumer behavior at the time of brand failure. Future research might examine the impact of these factors over time, rather than only at the time of the incident. Practical implications Marketers should be aware of the impact of attachment style and regulatory focus after a brand failure. This knowledge will enable them to customize their communication tools to trigger their desired condition. This research also emphasizes the role of customer service at the time of crisis. Originality/value This research is the first to investigate the impact of regulatory focus and attachment style on consumers’ reactions to brand failure.

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References

1987Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process.1991Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model.1998Consumers and Their Brands: Developing Relationship Theory in Consumer Research 1987Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect.1997Beyond pleasure and pain.2001The Chain of Effects from Brand Trust and Brand Affect to Brand Performance: The Role of Brand Loyalty 1987Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process.1990Adult attachment, working models, and relationship quality in dating couples.

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2023Factors influencing consumer forgiveness: a systematic literature review and directions for future research 2024Anxious Altruism: Virtue Signaling Mediates the Impact of Attachment Style on Consumers’ Green Purchase Behavior and Prosocial Responses 2025Betrayed by the favorite brand: rise and consequences of brand shame

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