Anti-Consumption and Brand Avoidance (Lee 2009 Jbr).Pdf

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Journal of Business Research 62 (2009) 169 – 180

Anti-consumption and brand avoidance☆
Michael S.W. Lee a,⁎, Judith Motion b,1 , Denise Conroy a,2 b Department of Marketing, The University of Auckland Business School, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand Department of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Commerce, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia Received 1 June 2007; received in revised form 1 November 2007; accepted 1 January 2008

a

Abstract This article focuses on a particular form of anti-consumption; brand avoidance. Specifically, it explores why people may avoid some brands, even when their financial circumstances allow them the option to purchase. The authors use qualitative data to develop a conceptual framework that helps clarify why consumers avoid certain brands. This study reveals three types of brand avoidance: experiential, identity and moral brand avoidance. Experiential brand avoidance occurs because of negative first hand consumption experiences that lead to unmet expectations. Identity avoidance develops when the brand image is symbolically incongruent with the individual 's identity. Moral avoidance arises when the consumer 's ideological beliefs clash with certain brand values or associations, particularly when the consumer is concerned about the negative impact of a brand on society. Finally, this study highlights potential strategies that managers could implement to deal with brand avoidance. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Brand avoidance; Anti-consumption; Undesired self; Consumer resistance; Negative symbolic consumption

1. Introduction Consumers often purchase brands for the many positive benefits they represent. Much research confirms the notion that consumers express themselves, and construct their identities/ self-concepts through the brands they use (Aaker, 1999; Belk, 1988; Dolich, 1969; Grubb and

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