Given a lack of tactics for addressing brand hate, most managers tend to ignore brand haters, and instead dedicate their resources towards consumers who like or love their brand. Similarly, relative to the volume of research on positive brand emotions, the academic literature exploring negative brand emotions is limited. Moreover, research indicates that compared to positive brand information, negative brand information is more diagnostic, and ultimately more damaging. In contrast to such findings and practices, this dissertation proposes a strategy whereby using advertising to openly acknowledge that a brand is hated (i.e. hate-acknowledging advertising) can be advantageous for corporate polarizing brands. The findings suggest that, compared to a traditional ad (i.e., an ad which only focuses on positive brand attributes or information), a hate-acknowledging produces higher levels of brand trust through the mediating influence of ad credibility. This research also demonstrates that hate-acknowledging advertising (vs. traditional advertising) has a stronger and more favorable influence on consumer intentions to engage in positive word of mouth, and that consumer brand emotions moderate this effect. Specifically, the favorable influence of hate-acknowledging on positive word of mouth intensifies with higher levels of consumer love towards a polarizing brand.

Background:Brand gender is the set of human personality traits associated with masculinity and femininity applicable and relevant to brands. Brand gender perceptions can be affected through a range of different marketing techniques, to attract specific customers, and positively influence their consumer-brand relationships and their brand equity. Similar to past marketing techniques used by tobacco companies who targeted women with cigarettes using slogans such as “Torches of Freedom” and the message that smoking makes you slim, marketers are now trying to change consumer perceptions of snus, a tobacco product originating from Sweden, where a drastic increase in usage among women can be seen.  Problem: Previous literature on the topic of brand gender has mainly focused on products and product categories that are highly connected to consumers’ self-presentation. Current literature also expresses the need for future research to be done using specific brands and product categories. Researchers have also expressed the need for examination of brand gender in contexts of highly feminine cultures.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if LYFT’s marketing portrays a clear brand gender positioning and to see how consumers perceive gendered branding. The aim is to expand existing knowledge on brand love, brand gender congruence and brand-gender positioning, using a product category that is less connected to consumers’ self-presentation. To fulfil the purpose of this research, a content analysis of LYFT’s Instagram was conducted, followed by an analysis of regular users of snus to identify their perceptions and relationships with LYFT. Method: This study has followed a mixed-method approach, where a quantitative content analysis of LYFT’s Instagram has been executed, followed by eight qualitative semi-structured interviews of regular users of snus in the age range of 22-28 years in Sweden who are highly familiar with LYFT. The interviews were analysed following interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).  Results: The interview participants perceived LYFT’s typical customer, their communication, as well as their product attributes and benefits to be feminine, which was consistent with the results of the content analysis. Congruent with previous research, this study found that the typical user of the brand had the most significant effect on brand gender perceptions and that a strong brand gender positioning can enhance brand love. However, the study also found that female individuals were less likely to consume masculine products or product categories than what previous studies have claimed. This study is useful for marketing practitioners wanting to enhance their customer-brand relationships through clear brand gendering and shows the importance of utilizing marketing techniques such as social media to affect consumer perceptions of brand gender.

Denna studie undersöker den digitala sociala rörelsen som uppstod ur efterdyningarna av den så kallade GameStop-sagan på aktiemarknaden. Spelåterförsäljaren GameStop erhöll en grupp hängivna anhängare på det sociala mediet Reddit. Över tid utvecklades gruppen till en social rörelse som i sin tur utvecklade en känsla av kärlek för GameStop-varumärket. Rörelsen gör anspråk på traditionella finansinstitut och Wall Street för en rättvisare aktiemarknad. Studien ämnar analysera de faktorer som bidragit till att utveckla kärleken för varumärket, som i denna studie benämns Brand love. Genom att utgå från två teoretiska ramverk; Social rörelseteori samt Kollektiv handlingsteori utforskar studien de taktiker och beslut som legat bakom rörelsens handlingar. Med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys uppnår uppsatsen en narrativ analys som illustrerar centrala aspekter ur datainsamlingen från Reddit. Gemenskapen utvecklades från att vara en grupp av oorganiserade individer till en stark social rörelse. Deras repertoarer inkluderade att hålla fast vid GameStop-aktier och använda olika plattformar för att sprida information. Det framkom att GameStop-gemenskapen använde Reddit för att organisera sig, diskutera anspråk och strategier samt stärka sin kollektiva identitet. Språkbruket förhöll sig vara nedvärderande samt stötande och användes inte endast som en form av kommunikation utan även för att stärka tillhörighet. Analysen pekar på att kollektiv identitet och starka relationer var viktiga element för rörelsens utveckling av brand love. Denna forskning ger inblick i dynamiken bakom digitala gemenskaper, aktivism och hur det kan leda till varumärkesrelationer.

Yes / Reshoring can be theorized as a brand revitalizing process for fostering companies’ ability to create value in the home country. The question of how to maintain sustainable reshoring implementation strategies by developing favorable brand responses is an important but underexplored field. Given that reshoring brand meanings are socially constructed and causally inferenced by consumers, we advocate that a reshoring brand revitalization should begin by understanding what constitutes customers’ attributions to reshoring motives. We identify values-driven, stakeholder-driven, and strategic-driven attributions as determinants of the sense of the institutionalization process (brand authenticity, legitimacy, and sustainability). These institutional logics comprise drivers that influence brand love and brand advocacy. We conduct an empirical study (n=1043) in China. The findings indicate that institutionalized reshoring branding activity is significantly influenced by customers’ attributions to underlying reshoring decisions. Reshoring brands that achieve institutional recognition are more likely to generate brand love and advocacy. In addition, our study provides empirical evidence that nostalgia (1) strengthens the influences of stakeholder-driven attributions on brand authenticity and sustainability, (2) inhibits the influence of values-driven attributions on brand authenticity, and (3) inhibits the influence of strategic-driven attributions on brand authenticity, legitimacy, and sustainability. Reshoring brand managers should consider these connections when designing their reshoring implementation strategies in the home country. / Major Humanities and Social Sciences Research Projects in Zhejiang higher education institutions (Grant No. 2023QN033), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 72101131,71972112) and Zhejiang Soft Science Programme (Grant No. 2022C35003) / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 30 Jun 2025.

The concept of "customer perceived value" has been evolving as an essential area within the marketing discipline for decades. Knowing what shapes consumer perception towards a product or service is vital for businesses (Sweeney and Soutar, 2001), especially for fashion products whose trends are ever-changing. Nevertheless, in the technology era, fashion consumers tend to use the spectrum of media platforms to search for information, to compare prices and exchange experiences amongst a common group. According to McKinsey and Company (2014), up to 35% of fashion consumers rely on online recommendations prior to making a purchasing decision. Given the challenges in this area of business, the aim of this study is to develop the multidimensional scale to measure consumer social media involvement. The measurement scale has been tested in the conceptual models by investigating the moderating effect of social media involvement influencing the relationships of customer perceived value and purchasing intention. The proposed scale is also examined within the customer perceived value dimensions against the key consequences. Moreover, the concept of brand love is incorporated within this study. Sometimes, people purchase brand not product itself and brand love construct is recently new concept and limited studies investigated into this area. Therefore, this study focuses on the moderating effect of social media involvement and brand love towards customer perceived value and purchasing intention for fast-fashion products. A quantitative research method was undertaken to collect research data. The self administered questionnaires were completed by Thai consumers at three particular department stores located in central Bangkok. The data analysis was then performed based on the returned, completed questionnaires of 630 respondents. Both exploratory and confirmatory analysis techniques were used to validate the measurement scale of the study. Structural equation modelling was conducted to test the hypotheses of both direct and indirect relationships. The quantitative results show customer perceived value from multiple dimensions (social, emotional, price and quality) towards fast fashion products. It was found that there is a direct causal relationship between the customer perceived value and purchasing intention, influenced by the level of social media involvement and brand love. An individual who has a high level of social media involvement and brand love tends to perceive a greater consumption experience which lead to preceding the positive outcomes. Therefore, fashion retailers should consider these dimensions and maintain a favourable relationship to enhance the consumer perception experience. Moreover, utilising the advantages from social media to connect with customers should not be neglected. However, the results showed that not all dimensions were found to have a positive effect on consumer purchasing intention towards fast fashion products equally; hence, the fashion marketers should deliberately evaluate each dimension of desired customer perceived value prior to applying a particular strategic plan. Moreover, the findings of this study are of the greatest importance to consumer behaviour especially in the area of involvement by extending the further knowledge. Social media involvement measurement scale has been developed from the limitation of exising studies by incorporated multi-facet dimensions (affective, cognitive and behavioural involvement) in the way to capture the complex nature of involvement variables. Furthermore, the model framework demonstrated the motive force behind behavioural intention by investigating the moderating role of social media involvement and brand love within the fast fashion products.

Framväxten av flertalet detaljhandelsalternativ har resulterat i att modemarknaden blivit allt mer konkurrensutsatt vilket lämnar konsumenten till oändligt många valmöjligheter. Den föränderliga lojaliteten gentemot varumärken innebär flertalet utmaningar för företag att särskilja sig från mängden och erbjuda konsumenten värde för att därmed ha möjlighet till att upprätthålla en långvarig relation med konsumenten. Under senare tid har det blivit allt mer intressant att undersöka konsumenters ”kärlek” till varumärken och med tiden har begreppet varumärkeskärlek uppstått i forskningssammanhang. Varumärkeskärlek innefattar den grad av passionerad, känslomässig anknytning som en nöjd konsument har för ett visst varumärke. I studien presenteras teorierna Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), 11 Dimensions of Love Toward a Brand och The Brand Love prototype som behandlar varumärkeslojalitet och varumärkeskärlek. Utefter förutnämnda teorier har författarna sedan utformat ett nytt teoretisk ramverk med sex stycken faktorer som förutsätts för att uppnå varumärkeskärlek. Studiens syfte är att ur ett konsumentperspektiv utforska vilka faktorer som skapar varumärkeskärlek samt hur varumärkesägande företag utefter detta skapar varumärkeslojala konsumenter. Resultatet från de kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuerna och enkätundersökningen visar på att fyra faktorer var starkt kopplade till varumärkeskärlek: Förtroende, Identitetsskapande, Kärleksrelationer samt Upplevd och förväntad kvalité. / The fast evolvement of retail alternatives has resulted in an increasing competition in the fashion market which leaves the customer with a number of options to choose from. The change in loyalty toward brands means that companies have to face many challenges which involves distinguishing themselves from other companies. They have to offer the consumer value and thereby create an opportunity to maintain a long-term relationship with the consumer. In recent times it has become interesting to study consumers “love” towards brands and over time the concepts of brand love has emerged in research contexts. Brand love includes the level of passionate, emotional attachment that a satisfied consumer has for a particular brand. The study presents following theories: Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), 11 Dimensions of Love Toward a Brand and The Brand Love prototype which manage brand loyalty and brand love. The authors has then used the earlier mentioned theories to create a new theoretical framework with six factors predicted for achieving brand love. The aim of the study is to examine in a consumer perspective which factors that create brand love and how brand-owned companies can create loyal consumers. Through qualitative, semi structured interviews and surveys the results indicates that four factors had a strong connection to brand love: Brand trust, Brand identification, Love relationship and Perceived and expected quality.

Today, in a world of consumption where almost everything is branded, every consumer has a brand that they love, a so called lovemarks. Nowadays, it takes more than just a commercial to make consumers stay committed to a brand. Consumers need to relate on a more personal level. There lies a deep rooted love, consistent over long periods of time, making the luxury brand consumer’s one the most loyal consumers in the world. Consequently, it is the consumers that decide what a lovemarks is, and why they go back to repurchasing that brand again, a kind of on-going romance between consumer-brand.   The purpose of this dissertation is to explore why consumers develop emotional attachment and loyalty towards brands, leading to a long-lasting, devoted relationship between the consumer and the brand. The aim is to find out elements that are needed to love a brand consistently. The outcome of this study will provide a better look into the consumer’s attitude towards lovemark brands.   A qualitative study has been performed on consumer attitudes towards their lovemarks brand, and the language they use when describing their motive to stay loyal to their brand of preference. Furthermore, the view of what elements are needed for them develop emotional attachment towards that brand is explored.   The conclusion of this dissertation is that in order for consumers to develop loyalty and emotional attachment to brands, they need the elements of emotion, quality, trust, image, timeless fashion, and tradition. These elements combined, make the ultimate consumer that many brands want to have.

PURPOSE To explain what impacts brand love. METHODOLOGY Quantitative approach, using online surveys, with a total of 462 participants. Additionally, a qualitative method was applied in the pre-study, using semi-structured in-depth interviews, and a total of 12 respondents. FINDINGS Previous literature lack of concern for parallel studies has a divergent effect in explaining what impacts brand love. A consolidated approach can explain brand love antecedents as the combination of brand evaluation, brand identification, and experience value. In additional findings, brand category has a rather small influence in brand love, and, brand love is a phenomenon not exclusive to one particular brand category. LIMITATIONS The findings of this research account for 50% of explanatory power, further exploration and qualitative tests are needed in order to identify the remaining explanatory power. IMPLICATIONS The results of this research suggest a consolidated model that can be used by researchers to extend the understanding of what antecedes brand love. Additionally, the model is a starting point for avoiding future divergence in literature. For managers, the findings present a three-faceted suggestion on how to use brand love antecedents. ORIGINALITY This study consolidates a divergent field of study, and by doing so, creates a new understanding of what impacts brand love. Additionally, the pre-study has an unorthodox methodological approach, and uses a qualitative method as a screening process, rather than an exploration process.

AbstractBrand love has become an increasingly interesting area of research for academics and marketing practitioners alike, as it has shown to drive consumer behaviours such as brand loyalty, positive word-of-mouth and negative information resistance (Batra et al., 2012). However, the focus has primarily been on brand love as a concept and how it drives consumer behaviour from a company perspective, and to a lesser extent on the antecedent pathways that lead to it from a consumer perspective. Based on extant research concerning brand love and its antecedents, this study tries to shed more light on the pathways that lead to brand love out of a consumer perspective. This study builds on extant research in brand love by connecting a brand love prototype model (ibid.), with anthropomorphism as an additional antecedent (Rauschnabel & Ahuvia, 2014), and attempts to extend earlier findings regarding the antecedents of brand love by describing how the antecedents form a pathway to brand love as seen out of a consumer’s point of view. The research was carried out by the use of a deductive, qualitative approach and thematical analysis. The data collection was done through the use of unstructured interviews. This study finds that the pathways to brand love can vary and be triggered from different angles, but that the key factors to brand love are anthropomorphism of the brand and integration of the brand into the self. This research is limited by the fact that the pathways are described through the use of a thematical analysis and that the respondents were selected as a result of a convenience selection. It would therefore be prudent to test the findings with a quantitative method and also to extend the number of respondents. This study is the first to qualitatively investigate the pathways between the antecedents of brand love out of a consumer perspective and will contribute to brand love literature by providing new insight into the antecedent pathways of brand love.

Purpose The aim of this master’s thesis is to gain in-depth insight into the emotional connections of consumers to the brand heritage of luxury fashion brands. Another aim of the paper is to investigate how brand love is enriched by the communication of brand heritage dimensions on Instagram. Design/Methodology/Approach This study is adopting an epistemological position of interpretivism and an abductive qualitative methodology. Seven semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with emerging luxury fashion consumers. Further, to gain insight into the meanings attributed to heritage luxury fashion brands, visual participatory methods were implemented. The methods used were a digital tour and a visual collage. The data was analysed with the help of thematic coding. Findings The current study finds that emerging consumers form emotional connections to heritage luxury fashion brands through dimensions of brand love: self-brand integration, passion-driven behaviours, long-term relationships and declarations of affection. This process of forming brand love for heritage luxury fashion brands is named ‘heritage brand love phases’ by this study. Additionally, the study finds that brand heritage is an enricher of brand love for emerging consumers on Instagram, where the consumer is already ‘highly brand-involved'. Managerial Implications It became evident in this study that there is a compatibility conflict between heritage luxury brands and social media. Brand managers ought to weave brand heritage seamlessly into their social media strategy for it to succeed. It is further suggested that managers take into account the ‘heritage brand love phases’ when devising heritage-related social media strategies. Originality/Value This paper explores brand heritage as an enricher of brand love on Instagram. This represents an unexplored area of brand love research. The study expands knowledge of luxury fashion by investigating how one dimension of luxury, brand heritage, impacts emerging consumers’ brand love.