The Impact of Negative Brand Experience on Brand Avoidance with the Mediating Effect of Negative Emotions: Evidence from the Sri Lankan Mobile Telecommunication Sector

Abstract

A knowledge gap existed in the light of available literature due to a lack of comprehensive understanding and conflicting viewpoints regarding negative brand experience and brand avoidance. This research aims to investigate the impact of negative brand experience on brand avoidance in the Sri Lankan mobile telecommunication industry. Further, it investigates the impact of negative brand experience on negative emotions, negative emotions on brand avoidance and examines the mediating effect of negative emotions in the relationship. This research is a positivistic study done using a questionnaire in selected urban areas based on a convenience sample of 120. A SEM model was used to analyze the data based on SPSS and Amos 23. The research bridges the theoretical gap that existed due to unawareness of simultaneous effects of negative brand experience and negative emotions on brand avoidance in the Sri Lankan context. Findings indicate that negative brand experience positively affects brand avoidance, while negative emotions also positively affect brand avoidance. Further, it realizes that negative brand experience has no significant effect on negative emotions. Finally, the research found that negative emotions have no mediating effect on the relationship between negative brand experience and brand avoidance.