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ABSTRACT
Oppositional brand loyalty is a psychological phenomenon observed among members of a brand community who hold negative and opposing views about rival brands, and even exhibit antagonistic behaviors towards those brands. The research of oppositional brand loyalty is in its infancy and requires deeper investigation. This study employs social identity theory and consumer-brand relationship as a theoretical framework to verify the formation process of oppositional brand loyalty. Using a sample of online automobile communities in Taiwan, we collected 232 valid samples and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The results indicate that members who identify with their online brand community develop brand commitment and self-brand connection, which lead to oppositional brand loyalty. Furthermore, brand commitment partially mediated and self-brand connection fully mediated the relationship between brand community identification and oppositional brand loyalty. Based on these findings, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Keywords: Online brand community; Social identity theory; Consumer-brand relationship; Oppositional brand loyalty
1.Introduction
A brand community is a specialized group built upon a structured set of social relations among admirers of products or services of a specific brand [Muniz & O'Guinn, 2001]. Communities with these characteristics can offer opportunities for brand management. A successful brand community can help strengthen consumers' brand loyalty and serve as a channel for communication and knowledge exchange between businesses and consumers, as well as among consumers [Andersen, 2005].
Established on the Internet, online brand communities transcend geographical barriers. Non-members can access the same information available to members, increasing the likelihood that they will gradually identify with and become members of the community [Algesheimer et al., 2005]. Subsequently, these communities can spark a sense of belonging within individuals, even if without direct interaction with other members [Carlson et al., 2008]. Empirical research has found that consumers who are involved in brand communities tend to have a deeper and closer relationship with the brand than those who are not [Kim et al., 2008]. Online brand communities function not only as a channel for businesses to communicate with customers, but also as an important tool for building customer relations.
In most industries, numerous brands are marketed within the same product or service category. If products or services offered by different brands are interchangeable, those brands will...