Losing and grieving: an approach toward understanding the consequences of brand grief and typology of grieving consumers

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the consequences of brand grief resulting from the loss of strong consumer-brand relationships (CBR) and devise a typology of grieving consumers. The paper specifically attempts to understand the effect of brand grief stemming from the termination of CBR due to brand death and brand transgression in the context of product and human brand. Design/methodology/approach - Considering the exploratory nature of this study, qualitative research methodology employing in-depth interviews from consumers of global products and human brands is employed. To derive further insights, the artifacts shared by the consumers were also analyzed. Findings - The research identifies several notable consequences of brand grief, encompassing switching, avoidance, hoarding and diminution of trust. Furthermore, a typology is developed to better understand the diverse reactions to brand grief. This model categorizes grieving consumers into four distinct groups - switchers, evaders, amassers and skeptics - across the three stages of grief: onset, experience and acceptance. These findings are consistent across both product and human brands. Originality/value - Grounded in theories of possessions, loss and recovery and symbolic interactionism across the salient stages from onset to the experiences and eventual acceptance of brand grief, this research delves into the under-examined consequences of brand grief within the marketing literature. Further, the proposed typologies illuminate the scantly understood behaviors of grieving consumers as they navigate the grieving process following CBR loss due to brand death and transgression.