Too Exciting to Fail, Too Sincere to Succeed: The Effects of Brand Personality on Sensory Disconfirmation

24 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2016 Last revised: 24 Mar 2016

See all articles by Aparna Sundar

Aparna Sundar

University of Oregon - Department of Marketing

Theodore Noseworthy

York University - Schulich School of Business

Date Written: January 28, 2016

Abstract

Across four studies, the authors demonstrate that consumers intuitively link disconfirmation, specifically sensory disconfirmation (when touch disconfirms expectations by sight), to a brand’s personality. Negative disconfirmation is often associated with negative post-trial evaluations. However, the authors find that when negative sensory disconfirmation is introduced by an exciting brand, the source of disconfirmation can sometimes be perceived positively. This occurs because consumers intuitively view disconfirmation as more authentic of an exciting personality. Similarly, despite the wealth of literature linking positive disconfirmation to positive post-trial evaluations, the authors find that sensory confirmation is more preferred for sincere brands, because consumers intuitively view confirmation as more authentic of a sincere personality. The authors conclude by demonstrating the intuitive nature of this phenomenon by showing that the lay belief linking brand personality to disconfirmation does not activate in a context where sensory disconfirmation encourages a more deliberative assessment of the product.

Keywords: expectancy disconfirmation, brand personality, sensory marketing, touch

Suggested Citation

Sundar, Aparna and Noseworthy, Theodore, Too Exciting to Fail, Too Sincere to Succeed: The Effects of Brand Personality on Sensory Disconfirmation (January 28, 2016). Journal of Consumer Research, March 2016, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2724363

Aparna Sundar (Contact Author)

University of Oregon - Department of Marketing ( email )

United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://business.uoregon.edu/faculty/aparna-sundar

Theodore Noseworthy

York University - Schulich School of Business ( email )

4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada

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