The role of brand love and brand jealousy in the formation of brand addiction

There is extensive research investigating consumer emotions of brand love and jealousy. However, the studies exploring a transition in consumer-brand emotions are scant. This study investigates the mediating effect of brand jealousy in the relationship between brand love and brand addiction among luxury fashion brand consumers. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey conducted among 390 luxury fashion consumers from Iran. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique tests the proposed hypotheses. All the proposed hypotheses are supported. Brand jealousy mediates the relationship between brand love and brand addiction. Furthermore, consumer-brand identification through the love-jealousy framework positively affects consumer addiction to the brand. The study of an emotional transition among luxury brand consumers via a mediating role of brand jealousy and love is a unique theoretical contribution. Moreover, this research adds value to consumer psychology research by proposing that romantic brand jealousy needs to be created along with brand love in customers’ minds to augment the level of brand addiction.