Going Beyond Philanthropy: A Dual Process Approach to Examine How Consumers Punish Brand Misanthropy

ABSTRACT Misanthropy, the opposite of philanthropy, represents brand wrongdoings that harm humanity and can be more widespread. Consumer awareness of brand misanthropy and subsequent retaliation against brands are on the rise and pose a more significant managerial challenge than ever before. Despite its growing importance, few studies have explored the connection between consumer's moral decision‐making in the event of brand misanthropy and subsequent avoidance behaviour. Using dual process theory, we expand the rationalist perspective within the field of moral decision‐making by considering the distinct mechanisms through which moral judgment influences consumer brand avoidance behaviour. Using a scenario‐based experiment paired with a survey, our findings suggest that moral judgments positively influence brand avoidance when exposed to brand misanthropy. We also found that moral obligation mediates between moral judgment and brand avoidance. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that self‐esteem attenuates peoples' propensity to avoid brands. Managerially, our research offers fresh insights and guidance for recognizing and recommending solutions to reduce anti‐brand behaviours in the event of brand misanthropy.