Call Me Rollie! The Role of Brand Nicknames in Shaping Consumer-Brand Relationships

Brand nicknames (e.g., Big Blue for IBM, Chevy for Chevrolet, Rollie for Rolex) are a common marketplace phenomenon. Marketers, however, hold polarized views about whether a brand should adopt or restrict the use of brand nicknames, yet little academic research has shed light on this debate. With three studies, the current research investigates the impact of brand nickname use in shaping the consumer-brand relationship. Drawing on the use of personal nicknames in interpersonal relationships, the current research proposes that brand nicknames elicit positive brand-related emotions (e.g., affection, love) and influence both the cognitive closeness (self-brand connection) and salience (brand prominence) components of brand attachment. This translates into downstream consequences of consumers’ brand relationship maintenance behaviors. The theoretical and managerial contributions of this research, its limitations, and future directions for research are discussed.