Kuanr, Abhisek and Pradhan, Debasis and Lyngdoh, Teidorlang and Lee, Michael SW (2022) 'Why do consumers subvert brands? investigating the influence of subjective well-being on brand avoidance.' Psychology and Marketing, 39 (3). pp. 612-633. ISSN 0742-6046

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Abstract

Negative consumer–brand interactions often result in consumer subversion, in which consumers actively reject or avoid brands. To date, the role of positive emotional states, such as subjective well-being, in brand avoidance remains a crucial oversight in the literature seeking to address consumer subversion. In this study, comprising three studies, we examine why and when subjective well-being influences brand avoidance. Drawing on self-control theory and the literature related to anti-consumption, we argue and demonstrate in Study 1 (N = 330) that subjective well-being enhances consumers' ability to avoid brands that transgress moral and ethical norms. Study 2 (N = 251) reveals the underlying psychological process by which subjective well-being engenders greater self-control in consumers who, as a response, exhibit brand avoidance behavior. Study 3 (N = 243) indicates that anti-consumption attitude serves as the boundary condition; it specifically demonstrates that a macro-oriented anti-consumption attitude accentuates the influence of subjective well-being on brand avoidance, whereas a micro-oriented anti-consumption attitude does not have any effect. Our research contributes to the consumer subversion literature by evaluating the influence of subjective well-being on moral brand avoidance. This study offers key insights for marketing managers entering markets containing consumers with high or low subjective well-being.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Source info: Psychology and Marketing. doi:10.1002/mar.21606
Uncontrolled Keywords:	anti-consumption; brand avoidance; consumer subversion; self-control theory; subjective well-being
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Essex Business School
SWORD Depositor:	Elements
Depositing User:	Elements
Date Deposited:	04 Jan 2022 11:06
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 03:42
URI:	http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/31656

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