Temporary love: A love-hate transition among luxury fashion consumers in a mediation of brand jealousy and moderation of value-expressiveness

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a limited amount of research to investigate emotional transition (i.e. love to hate) among consumers. Moreover, can value-expressiveness motivate consumers to not to share negative word of mouth (NWOM) despite hating a brand? This study aims at addressing these important research questions. Survey-based data is collected from 413 Indian luxury fashion consumers and analyzed via structural equation modelling technique, using AMOS 27.0. Findings reveal that brand jealousy mediates the relationship between brand love and brand hate. Furthermore, when value expressiveness is low, the relationship between brand hate and negative word of mouth is stronger. Brand marketers should strengthen symbolic brand identity to sustain positive consumer-brand emotions. Moreover, some relationship dyads can be used to establish the brand image in a family-oriented, collectivist culture. The mediation of brand jealousy and the moderation of NWOM are unique contributions of this study in an Indian context.