Placing a competitor’s brand in a bad light: mapping ill-intentioned placement as an emerging form of brand sabotage

Purpose This study aims to examine ill-intentioned placement, an unethical tactic in which a brand deliberately places a competitor’s product in an unfavorable context (e.g. in the hands of an anti-celebrity) to create negative associations and damage the competitor’s reputation. The authors offer a general review of this underexplored strategy, synthesizing insights from branding, competitive strategy and marketing ethics to map the phenomenon and its implications. As an important caveat, the authors do not intend to legitimize or encourage its adoption by practitioners. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a descriptive and integrative examination of ill-intentioned placement as an emerging form of competitive sabotage. Drawing on anecdotal evidence, suspected real-world cases and related literature, the authors outline the underlying logic, associated risks and managerial significance of this tactic. The aim of this paper is to conceptually delineate the practice and propose avenues for future research. Findings The authors present new insights and research questions on ill-intentioned brand placement. Specifically, the authors discuss how this marketing strategy operates, its likely effects, the concerns it raises, potential responses for targeted brands and several questions that offer promising directions for future research. In addition, the authors offer a bidimensional framework that allows brand placement strategies to be mapped based on the initiator’s identity and the valence of their consequences. Originality/value The authors open a new research front that extends the literature on negative and unethical marketing practices by introducing the concept of ill-intentioned placement – hostile product placements initiated by competing brands. By shifting the focus from placements orchestrated by the featured brand to those strategically deployed by rivals to harm brand equity, this review challenges the dominant view of product placement as a cooperative, brand-driven promotional tactic.