Can controversial behavior be advantageous? The Effect a Sponsor Object’s Controversial Behavior in Social Media has on the Sponsor’s Brand Image

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect a sponsor object’s controversial behavior in social media can have on the sponsor brand’s image. An experimental survey was conducted to examine the relationship. Based on theory, five moderators (liking, severity, brand response, discrepancy, fit) were tested to reveal their impact on the outcome. Results found that a main effect did occur between brand response and brand image. Further, interaction effects were found between severity and brand response. The main implication from this study is that after a controversiality, a sponsor brand would benefit more from exiting the sponsorship than by staying. Results also show that a controversial behavior from the sponsor object will nevertheless result in more negative evaluations of the brand than before a controversiality. Additionally, even though the sponsor brand’s image was our main topic for the research questions, the study found several interesting results for attitude change towards the sponsor object’s image.