The impact of consumer resistance to brand substitution on brand relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to propose and test a model that aims to identify key determinants which could alleviate the loss of brand trust and loyalty caused by brand name change using the resistance to change theory (RCT). Design/methodology/approach – Because of the causal nature of the research, the quantitative research methodology was considered as best suitable. An online questionnaire was administered on a sample composed of 313 consumers. Findings – The paper provides empirical insights regarding the fact that consumers’ resistance to the brand name substitution is the main determinant of the transfer of consumers’ trust from the old to the new brand. Finally, loyalty transfer heavily relies on trust transfer. Research limitations/implications – Because of the convenience sample used, the research results may lack generalisability. Furthermore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed hypotheses based on different brand name change cases. Practical implications – The paper includes implications for the alleviation of consumers’ resistance to the brand name substitution, a main determinant for the loss of brand trust and loyalty in the case of brand name change. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified need to study how consumers’ resistance to the brand name change can be diminished. Overall, our research supports the use of the RCT for a better understanding of brand name change-related issues.