Is there really no bad publicity? The impact of negative publicity on brand equity

• Autor(a) principal: González Delgado, Rita Valeria
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/43198
• topic: Negative publicity; Scandals; Brand equity; Brand trust; Brand image; Publicidade negativa; Escândalos; Equidade da marca; Confiança na marca; Imagem da marca; Domínio/Área Científica::Ciências Sociais::Economia e Gestão

Is there really no such thing as bad publicity? Is bad publicity really better than no publicity? Reality is very different. This study investigates the complex relationship between negative publicity and brand trust within a diverse consumer context, in a time where information flows rapidly and reputations are both easily made and shattered, understanding how negative media exposure influences consumer perceptions is of utmost importance. The empirical research of this thesis employed a survey methodology, gathering responses from 118 individuals representing diverse backgrounds and demographics. It investigated the intricate dynamics among key variables, as brand trust, brand image, ambiguity tolerance, product involvement, gender, and age. The study uncovered that negative publicity has indeed, a detrimental effect on brand trust, regardless of the type of negative information consumers are exposed to, self-congruity brand image mediates this relationship, females tend to be more sensible to value-based scandals, so do GenZ consumers, and when a consumer has low/moderate ambiguity tolerance and high/moderate product involvement the negative publicity has a higher impact on their brand trust. By considering the interplay between these variables, marketers gain a deeper understanding of how to navigate and respond to adverse media exposure effectively. In conclusion, this research underscores the multifaceted nature of brand trust in the face of negative publicity, emphasizing the importance of tailored strategies for different consumer segments.