Effect of past relationship quality on brand hate: a serial mediation effect of perceived betrayal and blame attribution

This study aims to examine how past relationship quality with a brand can influence the development of brand hate and its outcomes. Drawing on an appraisal-based perspective, the study examines perceived betrayal as an affective response to violated relational expectations and blame attribution as a subsequent cognitive evaluation through which previously positive consumer–brand relationships can escalate into brand hate. Using the hierarchical brand hate dimensions, a serial mediation model is proposed between past relationship quality and hot, cool, and cold brand hate, through perceived betrayal and blame attribution. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from N = 560 Indian consumers. The model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that the effect of past relationship quality on the three brand hate dimensions is serially mediated by perceived betrayal and blame attribution. Hot brand hate affects consumers’ engagement in negative e-Word-of-Mouth (eWOM), cool and cold brand hate lead to reduced patronage, but only cold brand hate predicts brand avoidance. This study integrates affective and cognitive processes within an appraisal-based framework and empirically validates the hierarchical structure of brand hate. The findings provide support for the “love-becomes-hate” effect and highlight the importance for brands of recognizing customers with strong past relationships and proactively mitigating perceptions of betrayal.