Question

Brands play important roles for consumers. For instance, they act as relationship partners that enable consumers to resolve personal issues. Drawing on Fournier (1998) typology of relationships between consumers and brands, identify six types of relationships you as a consumer have with different brands .

Answer 1

Fournier (1998) based typology has analysed 20 kinds of brand - consumer relationship on the basis of phenomenological research. Alongwith 20 different kinds of different brand relationship, she further provided 6 dimensions of these relationship-

Love/passion

Self connection

Intimacy

Brand partner

Interdependence

Commitment

Six types of brand consumer relationships as per Fournier typology are-

Casual relationships with brands are those which generally most of the consumers maintain with different products brands. As per the name it doesn't have commitment with the brand.

Kinship- This kind of relationship exists when the brand loyalty is distributed in pyramid from awareness about it to the bond with it.

Secret affair: When a brand usage is keep hidden by the consumer it is known as secret affair

Partner commitment- When a brand is used with commitment but there is always a desire to improve its quality with time, this kind of relationship is committed partnership quality.

Love and passion- When the brand can not be replaced with other brands because of loyalty and love and consumer has passion for it. Substitute of the brand creates discomfort

Childhood friendship-When brand reminds the consumer of different phase of life and give him nostalgic feeling so that he can not replace it with other brand.