Functional and moral brand lapses sparking negative online brand engagement and anti-brand community growth
基于归因理论和社会认同理论，通过两项在线调查，研究功能性失误（品牌失败严重性、感知品牌质量）和道德失误（不可接受的品牌行为）如何从个体负面在线品牌参与演变为集体反品牌社区行为，为管理者提供预警和应对策略。
Although brand negativity presents a significant challenge for managers, research has not fully engaged with brand-related factors that contribute to its emergence. Guided by attribution theory and social identity theory and using two online surveys targeting distinct groups (anti-brand communities’ non-members and members), this work examines how the perceptions of functional (brand failure severity, perceived brand quality) and moral (unacceptable brand behaviour) brand lapses shape engagement evolution from individual action (negative online brand engagement) to collective behaviour (intention to join or participate in anti-brand communities). Structural-equation modelling tests the intricate relationship between brand lapses and the four negative online brand engagement dimensions (negative cognition, negative affection, online constructive and destructive behaviours), further disclosing how individual online negativity can drive collective movements within anti-brand communities, showing how lone complaints can escalate into organised opposition. The results offer managers early-warning indicators and segment-specific tactics for containing functional and moral crises.