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Marketing, get ready to rumble—How rivalry promotes distinctiveness for brands and consumers

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  • Berendt, Johannes
  • Uhrich, Sebastian
  • Thompson, Scott A.

Abstract

Scholars typically advise brands to stay away from public conflict with competitors as research has focused on negative consequences—e.g., price wars, escalating hostilities, and derogation. This research distinguishes between rivalry between firms (inter-firm brand rivalry) and rivalry between consumers (inter-consumer brand rivalry). Four studies and six samples show both types of rivalry can have positive consequences for both firms and consumers. Inter-firm brand rivalry boosts perceived distinctiveness of competing brands independent of consumption, attitude, familiarity, and involvement. Inter-consumer brand rivalry increases consumer group distinctiveness, an effect mediated by brand identification and rival brand disidentification. We extend social identity theory by demonstrating that: 1) outside actors like firms can promote inter-consumer rivalry through inter-firm rivalry and 2) promoting such conflict can actually provide benefits to consumers as well as firms. The paper challenges the axiom “never knock the competition,” deriving a counter-intuitive way to accomplish one of marketing's premier objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Berendt, Johannes & Uhrich, Sebastian & Thompson, Scott A., 2018. "Marketing, get ready to rumble—How rivalry promotes distinctiveness for brands and consumers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 161-172.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:88:y:2018:i:c:p:161-172
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.03.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Anaza, Nwamaka A. & Luis Saavedra, José & Hair, Joe F. & Bagherzadeh, Ramin & Rawal, Monika & Nedu Osakwe, Christian, 2021. "Customer-brand disidentification: Conceptualization, scale development and validation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 116-131.
    4. Mathieu Béal & Charlotte Lécuyer & Ivan Guitart, 2024. "Humor in Online Brand-to-brand Dialogues : Unveiling the Difference between Top Dog and Underdog Brands," Post-Print hal-04666015, HAL.
    5. Mithila Guha & Daniel Korschun, 2024. "Peer effects on brand activism: evidence from brand and user chatter on Twitter," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(2), pages 153-167, March.
    6. Liao, Junyun & Chen, Jiawen & Zhao, Haichuan & Li, Muhua, 2023. "Fanning the flames: Transmitting negative word of mouth of rival brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    7. Zahy B. Ramadan, 2019. "Brand–brand relational moments," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(6), pages 705-716, November.
    8. Cody T. Havard & Frederick G. Grieve & Megan E. Lomenick, 2020. "Marvel, DC, and Sport: Investigating Rivalry in the Sport and Comic Settings," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 101(3), pages 1075-1089, May.
    9. He, Yi & You, Ya & Chen, Qimei, 2020. "Our conditional love for the underdog: The effect of brand positioning and the lay theory of achievement on WOM," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 210-222.

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