Abstract:

As a form of misconduct that violates the consumer-brand relationship, brand transgression has become a critical research focus. In the new era characterized by “everything is a medium,” such incidents rapidly garner widespread consumer attention and discussion. Current literature reveals that consumer attitudes are significantly influenced by the characteristics of brand transgression types. However, existing research, while growing, often employs a single-dimension binary classification method, examining transgressions from only one perspective—be it the subject, method, or content—at a time. This approach is limited in explaining the complexity of real-world transgressions, which often involve multiple dimensions simultaneously. This paper aims to address this gap by providing a systematic review that synthesizes a comprehensive three-dimensional classification system and elucidates the corresponding psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying the effects of different transgression types.
The primary theoretical innovation of this paper lies in its systematic proposal of an integrated, three-dimensional typology for categorizing brand transgressions. Moving beyond singular classifications, this framework synthesizes existing literature into a cohesive system comprising the transgression subject (e.g., categorizations based on brand origin, such as domestic versus foreign), the transgression method (e.g., categorizations based on potential harm level, such as severe versus mild), and the transgression content (e.g., categorizations based on moral attribute, such as moral versus non-moral). This integrated system allows for a more nuanced analysis of complex cases. For instance, the framework can be effectively applied to analyze the “Ledao Auto” advertising incident, which involved attributes across all three dimensions: domestic brand (transgression subject), blatant way (transgression method), and moral and relational misconduct (transgression content). This typology provides a superior theoretical tool for predicting consumer responses to multifaceted transgressions compared to traditional single-dimension approaches.
Building upon this typological foundation, this paper elucidates the theoretical basis of brand transgression effects from two distinct levels: individual psychology and social psychology. Furthermore, it explicates the pathways through which these effects operate by distinguishing between mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. The paper thoroughly explores the cognitive (brand evaluation, country-of-origin image, price and product performance sensitivity, and price expectations), affective (positive affect such as forgiveness, compassion, and trust), and behavioral consequences (positive behaviors, negative behaviors, and positive/negative behavioral choices) of diverse transgression types. It seeks to clarify the intrinsic psychological mechanisms at both the individual and social levels, while also identifying boundary conditions related to three key areas: corporate behavior, consumer characteristics, and environmental context factors. This multi-level, multi-pathway framework offers a comprehensive theoretical perspective for understanding how various types of brand transgressions ultimately impact consumer attitudes.
In addition to its theoretical contributions, this paper derives practical strategic recommendations for how enterprises should respond to brand transgressions. Based on the analysis of psychological mechanisms, the proposed strategies include adopting cognitive/emotional empathy-based communication to connect with consumers, formulating tailored remedial strategies that are appropriate for the specific type of transgression, and adjusting public opinion guidance approaches to effectively manage the public narrative in a complex media environment.
Finally, the paper identifies three promising themes for future research. These directions are poised to extend the understanding of brand transgression effects in evolving contexts: first, investigating transgressions in AI technology-induced situations; second, examining the differences in the impact of transgression typology on the attitudes of Chinese versus Western consumers; and third, analyzing the impact of specific types of brand transgressions on evaluations of associated brands. By systematically defining brand transgression, proposing an integrated classification system, and clarifying the associated intrinsic mechanisms and boundary conditions, this literature review aims to provide a solid theoretical foundation and offer insightful inspiration for subsequent research in this important domain.

Key words: brand transgression, typology, consumer attitude, psychological mechanism