The Christmas effect: temporal dynamics in consumer responses to family firm signaling

Purpose Prior research reports that signaling family firm status can enhance consumer responses. This study challenges the assumption that such positive effects are stable over time. Using the Christmas context, this paper proposes that family firm signaling is beneficial before Christmas but this positive effect temporarily vanishes afterward due to saturation with family-related interactions. Design/methodology/approach Using a preregistered experimental design, this research examines consumer responses to family firm signaling at two points in time. Before Christmas, consumers were randomly assigned to either the family firm signaling or control condition and then reported their willingness to shop at the firm. Shortly after Christmas, a new sample completed the same experiment. Findings Family firm signaling increased willingness to shop before Christmas. More importantly, however, this positive effect disappeared after Christmas. Exploratory post hoc analyses revealed that the pre-Christmas preference for family firm signals was stronger among individuals reporting a low longing to spend time with their own family, suggesting that family firms may serve as an alternative source of family-related meaning in this context. Originality/value This study indicates that consumer responses to family firms are less static and more temporally contingent than previously assumed. By demonstrating that the positive effect of family firm signaling can dissipate following periods of intensive family-related interaction, the study advances a more dynamic understanding of family firm signaling and the management of family business brands.