The chopsticks debacle: how brand hate flattened Dolce & Gabbana in China

Glyn Atwal, Douglas Bryson and Maya Kaiser
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Glyn Atwal: ESC [Rennes] - ESC Rennes School of Business
Douglas Bryson: ESC [Rennes] - ESC Rennes School of Business

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Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the development of brand hate based on the case of Italian luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana in China. Design/methodology/approach The strategy adopted in this study is a single in-depth case study. Qualitative methods are applied in both the data collection and analysis. Findings The findings identified six distinct stages through which brand hate can develop: awareness, anger, amplification, antagonism, action and apathy. Research limitations/implications The case is specific to a luxury brand and the Chinese cultural context. Practical implications Practitioners need to consider how business strategies can be adapted to manage the six stages of the manifestation of brand hate. A "proactive" approach is needed to avoid arousing brand hate, while a "reactive" approach is needed to manage its potential ramifications. Originality/value There has been a paucity of anti-consumption research within the business strategy literature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the focus on China makes this the first study to investigate brand hate within a Chinese cultural context.

Keywords: China; Luxury; Social media; Boycott; Anti-consumption; Brand hate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-11-12
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in Journal of Business Strategy, 2020, 43 (1), pp.37-43. ⟨10.1108/JBS-07-2020-0160⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03519849

DOI: 10.1108/JBS-07-2020-0160

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