Consumer Hypocrisy in Relationships with BrandsABSTRACT
This study aimed to discover whether consumers' everyday actions that contradict the purposes of brands they consume constitute consumer hypocrisy in the judgment of third parties, including consumers who are more engaged with the brand. Additionally, it analyzed the desire for condemnation, and the judgment of hypocrisy based on the gravity of the action and the perceived immorality of the behavior. Through two between-subjects experiments, the results of the study proved that consumers are considered hypocritical when they act against the brand's purposes but that engaged consumers are not judged as more hypocritical. The condemnation of hypocrisy was confirmed and explained by the judgment of hypocrisy. The study provides original insights into consumer hypocrisy in actions related to brand purposes and contributes to helping managers better assess brand activism when consumers are being judged for not aligning with the brand's positioning in their daily lives.
Keywords: Brand Activism; Consumer Engagement; Consumer Hypocrisy; Consumer Morality; Brand Purpose