Enough is enough! When identification no longer prevents negative corporate associations

Negative publicity has the potential to create negative corporate associations. However, consumers' identification with the company might moderate the extent of this effect. This paper examines the impact of consumer-company identification on reactions to variable levels of negative publicity about the company. Exposing consumers who have a strong identification with the company to moderately negative publicity was found to result in less negative corporate associations than consumers who have a relatively weak identification. In contrast, consumers' level of identification did not affect reactions to extremely negative information, resulting in equally negative corporate associations for those with strong versus weak consumer-company identification. Thus, strong identification mitigates the effects of moderately negative publicity but does not attenuate the effects of extremely negative publicity. Consumers' perception of and thoughts regarding negative information about the company partially mediated the effect of identification on attitudes and behavioral intentions.