Affinity in Adversity: Examining Brand Love and Online Customer Engagement in the Restaurant Industry

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18089/tms.20240404

Keywords:

Brand Love, Negative Review, Social Media, UGC., Restaurant Brands, Negative Reviews, Customer engagement

Abstract

Previous studies have investigated brand love in restaurants but have not considered the dynamics of online reviews about restaurant brands. To fill this gap, this study aims to understand how consumers with a high level of love towards restaurant brands defend them in the face of negative reviews on social media. This research, carried out in a Brazilian context, adopts a qualitative approach, analysing 3,979 customer reviews sourced from Instagram through sentiment and categorical content analysis. From the dimensions of brand love, the results showed that customers who love restaurant brands react to negative reviews about them on social media, expressing their positive emotional connection with the companies and acting as their defenders. The study shows that for the restaurant segment, it is relevant to have consumers who love the brand once they help mitigate the effects generated by negative comments online. Furthermore, the research highlights how brand love manifests in restaurant brands' digital context. 

Author Biographies

  • José William de Queiroz Barbosa, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte

    José William de Queiroz Barbosa is a PhD candidate and holds a Master's degree in Tourism from the Postgraduate Programme in Tourism (PPGTUR) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), and is a CAPES scholarship holder. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and has experience and research interests in topics related to consumer behaviour in tourism, collaborative consumption in tourism, branding in tourism and brand love. He is a research member of the Brands and Marketing Research Group (GPMAR/UFRN) and a researcher in the Traveling Research Group: Studies in Marketing, Sales and Consumption of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Services (DHT/UFPE).

  • Maria Carolina Cavalcante Dias, University of São Paulo

    Maria Carolina Cavalcante Dias is a PhD candidate in the Postgraduate Programme in Administration at the School of Economics, Administration and Accounting (FEA/USP), in the Marketing research line at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She holds a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Tourism Management from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Her research focuses on (i) Marketing, (ii) Brand Building, Management and Measurement, (iii) Management and Experience in Services. She has professional experience in the Retail and Services sectors, and teaching experience in the areas of Marketing and Management.

  • Lissa Valéria Fernandes Ferreira, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte

    Lissa Valéria Fernandes Ferreira has a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Barcelona (2005) and a Post-Doctorate in Strategic Communication from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She has a Master's degree in Political Communication and Strategy from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2005) and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Potiguar University (1990). She is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and a permanent member of the Stricto Sensu Postgraduate Programme in Tourism (PPGTUR/UFRN). She is the Coordinator of the Brands and Marketing Research Group (GPMAR/CNPq) and has experience in the areas of Sustainable Tourism and Strategic Marketing, working on the following topics: Quality Management, Consumer Behaviour and Brand Management.

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03.09.2024

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Business/Management: Research Papers

How to Cite

Barbosa, J. W. de Q., Dias, M. C. C., & Ferreira, L. V. F. (2024). Affinity in Adversity: Examining Brand Love and Online Customer Engagement in the Restaurant Industry. Tourism & Management Studies, 20(4), 47-62. https://doi.org/10.18089/tms.20240404

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