A Framework of Brand Contestation: Toward Brand Antifragility
Journal
Journal of Consumer Research
ISSN
0093-5301
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2021-09-14
Author(s)
Russell, Cristel Antonia
Editor(s)
Price, Linda L.
Abstract (De)
The consumer literature on branding to date coalesces around the notion that brands are constantly contested. Brand contestation arises where the actions of consumer brand actors meet, and sometimes confront, those of the brands’ legal owners. This article integrates the extant branding research, a qualitative pre- study, and two complementary empirical studies to advance a theoretical process model of brand contestation. First, an in-depth analysis of thirty historical cases reveals its dynamics and how both the magnitude of contestation and the momen- tum of mobilization affect brand contestations’ scope and evolution. Second, inter- views with upper-level marketing and branding executives add an emerging per- spective that brand managers can use the energy generated by consumers’ contestation to develop antifragility—a brand’s ability to grow and thrive as a result of contestation.
Language
English
Keywords
brand contestation
process model
case analysis
expert study
anti- fragility
brands
branding
brand management
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Volume
48
Number
4
Start page
682
End page
708
Pages
27
Contact Email Address
daniel.dietrich@unisg.ch
References
Dietrich, D., & Russell, C. A. (2021). A Framework of Brand Contestation: Toward Brand Antifragility. Journal of Consumer Research, 48(4), 682-708.
Additional Information
Daniel Dietrich (daniel.dietrich@unisg.ch) is a postdoctoral researcher in marketing and consumer behavior at the University of St. Gallen, School of Management, Dufourstrasse 50, St. Gallen 9000, Switzerland. Cristel Antonia Russell (cristel.russell@pepperdine.edu) is a professor of marketing at Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90263, USA. Please address corre- spondence to Daniel Dietrich. This article is based on the first author’s doctoral dissertation, conducted at the University of St. Gallen. The authors are deeply grateful to the doctoral supervisors Ernst Mohr and Torsten Tomczak for their patient guidance, curious openness, and enrich- ing thoughts. They would also like to extend their gratitude to all inform- ants for sharing their valuable insights on brand contestation and antifragility. Finally, the authors wish to thank the editor, associate editor, and reviewers of JCR for their time and feedback during the inspiring re- view process. Supplementary materials are included in the web appendix accompanying the online version of this article.
Eprints ID
266057