(In)attention to attractive brand alternatives

Abstract Understanding how consumers maintain their brand relationships has important implications for marketers as committed consumers contribute significant value to firms. In the present research, we propose and test one such way consumers protect their brand relationships, namely through attentional avoidance of attractive alternative partners. Across multiple studies, we find support for our theory that committed consumers avoid attending to alternative brand partners by recalling less about and spending less time focused on attractive alternatives. We further find that this inattention occurs because consumers view the competing brand as a threat to the consumer’s current relationship. In addition, we investigate a boundary condition of this effect, highlighting the importance of internally (as opposed to externally) guided (in)attention for protecting brand relationships. By identifying a novel, behavioral way consumers protect their brand relationships, we contribute to the literature on branding and brand relationships, self-threats, and reactance.