Notes on Fournier (1998) – Consumer-brand relationships

Main topic or phenomenon addressed

This paper addresses the phenomenon of consumer-brand relationships - specifically, whether and how consumers form meaningful, relationship-like bonds with brands that parallel interpersonal relationships. The core phenomenon under investigation is the nature, structure, and dynamics of these consumer-brand connections beyond simple purchase behavior or brand preference.

Core theoretical concept or framework

The core theoretical framework is Brand Relationship Quality (BRQ), a six-dimensional construct that measures the strength and depth of consumer-brand relationships. The framework borrows from interpersonal relationship theory and proposes that consumer-brand relationships must satisfy four conditions: reciprocity (active partnership), meaning provision (adding life structure), multiplicity (diverse relationship forms), and temporality (dynamic evolution over time).

The BRQ framework consists of six facets:

1. Love/Passion - emotional attachment intensity
2. Self-Connection - brand’s role in identity expression
3. Interdependence - integration into daily life
4. Commitment - intention to maintain relationship
5. Intimacy - deep knowledge and personal meaning
6. Brand Partner Quality - perceived reliability and trustworthiness

Key findings

1. Consumer-brand relationships are phenomenologically real - consumers genuinely experience brands as active relationship partners, not passive objects

2. Fifteen distinct relationship types exist, ranging from committed partnerships and best friendships to secret affairs and dependencies

3. Life contexts shape relationship patterns - different life situations (traditional, transitional, postmodern) produce distinctly different brand relationship portfolios

4. Brands function as active partners through marketing actions that consumers interpret as “behaviors” revealing brand personality

5. Relationship strength varies across six dimensions that can be measured and managed strategically

6. Brand relationships serve identity projects - consumers marshal brands across categories to support life themes, projects, and concerns rather than focusing on single-category loyalty

Boundary conditions or moderators

Several boundary conditions influence the formation and strength of consumer-brand relationships:

Life stage and transitions - Consumers in transitional periods (like Karen’s divorce) show different relationship patterns than those in stable periods (like Jean’s established homemaker role)

Cultural and cohort effects - Traditional consumers (Jean) develop committed, long-term partnerships while postmodern consumers (Vicki) prefer acquisitive, experimental relationship styles

Gender orientation - The study focuses on women, whose relational orientation may enhance brand relationship formation compared to men

Product category involvement - Relationships are stronger in categories connected to identity expression and daily routines

Personal identity projects - The centrality of a brand to resolving life themes (marginality/significance, independence/dependence) moderates relationship intensity

Building on, extending, or challenging previous work

This paper builds on interpersonal relationship theory by applying established relationship principles (reciprocity, meaning provision, multiplicity, temporality) to the consumer-brand domain.

It extends brand loyalty research by moving beyond behavioral measures (repeat purchase) to examine the psychological and emotional processes underlying consumer-brand connections. Traditional loyalty research treated loyalty as a unidimensional construct; Fournier reveals multiple relationship forms and dimensions.

The work challenges the predominant transactional view of consumer behavior by demonstrating that consumers don’t just buy products - they engage in ongoing relationships with brands that serve identity and meaning-making functions.

It contradicts the assumption that strong consumer attachments only form with people, showing that brands can serve as legitimate relationship partners when properly animated and managed.

Major theoretical contribution

The major theoretical contribution is the establishment of consumer-brand relationships as a legitimate and rich domain for theoretical development. Specifically:

Paradigm shift - From viewing consumer-brand connections as simple preference or loyalty to understanding them as complex, multifaceted relationships

Theoretical framework - The BRQ construct provides a comprehensive, theoretically grounded way to conceptualize and measure relationship strength

Methodological contribution - Demonstrates how phenomenological approaches can build foundational theory in consumer behavior

Integration - Bridges consumer behavior, relationship marketing, and interpersonal psychology to create new theoretical possibilities

Major managerial implication

The major managerial implication is that brand managers should shift from managing brands as products to managing brands as relationship partners. This requires:

Relationship portfolio management - Understanding that consumers have different types of relationships with brands and tailoring strategies accordingly (committed partnerships require different management than casual friendships or dependencies)

Long-term relationship building - Moving beyond transaction-focused metrics to relationship health indicators that predict future behavior

Life context sensitivity - Recognizing that relationship needs change with consumer life situations and adapting brand positioning and communication accordingly

Holistic brand behavior - Understanding that all marketing actions constitute “brand behaviors” that shape consumers’ perceptions of the brand as a relationship partner, requiring integrated and consistent brand management across touchpoints

Reference

Fournier, Susan (1998), “Consumers and Their Brands: Developing Relationship Theory in Consumer Research,” Journal of Consumer Research, 24 (4), 343–73.