Compensating for interpersonal relationships with brand relationships: A two-dimensional view

Abstract

When people experience loneliness, how does it affect their brand relationships? Are they more loyal to a certain brand or want more brands? The existing literature appears contradictory, with some suggesting that loneliness strengthens brand loyalty and others suggesting that it could weaken brand loyalty. The current research proposes that this inconsistency can be resolved using a two-dimensional concept of interpersonal and brand relationships that distinguishes relationship quality and quantity. Individuals experiencing insufficient relationship quality (a lack of emotional closeness) tend to show stronger brand loyalty, whereas those experiencing an insufficient number of relationships tend to be high in brand assortment preference.