Action-Reaction: Study of the behavioural responses adopted by consumers of brands involved in scandals
(A2025-125929)

AUTHORS

Laure Perraud, IUT Le Creusot - CREGO Cermab - Université Bourgogne Europe; Virginie RODRIGUEZ, Université d'Orléans - VALLOREM; Pierre BUFFAZ, EDC Paris Business School

ABSTRACT

The aim is to characterize and classify the behavioral responses of consumers of a brand that has been the subject of a scandal, according to the level of hatred felt. To this end, we carried out a case study. We identified 12 companies from different strategic sectors that had faced a major crisis. Articles reporting on these events were searched on the Internet, then consulted, before being analyzed to highlight and explain consumers' behavioral reactions. The results established links between corporate behavior, consumer reactions and corporate responses. Our results confirm the literature on corporate behavior (Makarem and Jae, 2016) and the links between hatred and resistance (Buffaz, Perraud, Rodriguez, 2024). This reading grid enables us to recommend to brands the implementation of an appropriate response to each consumer reaction according to the type of scandal identified.