Antecedents of brand hate and the effects of brand hate on consumer brand avoidance behaviors

Consumers' relationships with brands can be both positive and negative. Negative emotions that consumers develop towards brands for various reasons can turn into brand hate, which is the strongest of these emotions. This hate of consumers can have very negative consequences for brands by affecting their subsequent behavior. With the realization of all these negativities, although the concept of brand hate, which is discussed within the scope of the study, has started to take place more and more in the marketing literature day by day, there is a need to further understand the concept and enrich the existing literature. The aim of the study is to determine which of the brand hate dimensions (anger, sadness and fear) that are commonly accepted in the literature trigger (negative past experience, symbolic incongruity and ideological incompatibility) more. Moreover, it has been revealed which of these brand hate dimensions triggers brand avoidance behavior in consumers more. The research model created for this purpose was tested with multiple regression analysis based on the data obtained from 585 consumers. As a result of the study, consumers' ideological incompatibility with the brand triggers the anger and fear dimensions of brand hate more, while their negative past experience with the brand triggers the sadness dimension more. In addition, symbolic incongruity and ideological incompatibility antecedents of brand hate positively and significantly affect the anger, sadness and fear dimensions of brand hate. While the negative past experience antecedent had a significant positive effect on the anger and sadness dimensions, no significant effect was found on the fear dimension. Moreover, it has been determined that the sadness, anger and fear dimensions of brand hate are effective on consumers' brand avoidance behavior, respectively.