Sticks and stones: how resistance to negative information helps strong brands thrive

Abstract Once consumers become highly loyal to a brand, research has shown that they are less receptive to negative information conveyed online or via other media. This important concept, resistance to negative information (RNI), has been under-researched despite being an essential contributor to brand health. This study explores the role of brand respect and attitudes in building consumer resistance to negative information across two studies. Social identity and appraisal theories illuminate the critical drivers of consumers’ RNI. A total of 364 and 312 responses (respectively) were received from online questionnaires distributed to shoppers in two retail contexts: quality and value brands, one local and the other global. Structural equation modelling results for both brands underscore the importance of building brand respect to develop resistance to negative information, suggesting that stimulating brand respect should be a priority for brand managers. Three ways to strengthen RNI were identified: directly via brand respect and attitudes and indirectly via the moderating role of self-brand connection. Further, resistance to negative information is a mediator between brand respect and purchase intention for the quality brand and between brand attitude and purchase intention for the value brand.