I hate this brand but there is nothing I can do about it
(R2023-117256)

AUTHORS

Giulia Miniero, Associate professor, Franklin University Switzerland; Marta Pizzetti, emLyon Business School; Monica Grosso, EmLyon Business School; Vera Dianova, Franklin University Switzerland

ABSTRACT

The paper explores whether consumers write on Facebook as a way to vent their negative feelings toward a brand, specifically to extinct brand hate in a situation with no way out from the relationship with the brand. The study, applying a linguistic content analysis, identifies the most recurrent types of hate felt by consumers, and by relying on the expressive writing paradigm, analyzes whether a catharsis that mitigates negative feelings towards the brand happens. Our results show that brand hate is expressed online, but, despite the online sharing through writing, consumers do not extinct their negative feelings. In conclusion, consumers do not use the writing as a therapeutic tool, so the catharsis does not take place. The hate consumers feel is neither digested nor vented away causing trouble for them and for the society at large.