A research to examinate the relationship between brand hate, newom and boycotting behavior

This study aims to examine the effect of brand hate on consumers’ boycott behavior by exploring the mediating role of negative word-of-mouth (NeWOM). Data were collected from 396 consumers through an online survey distributed via social media and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The findings reveal that brand hate significantly increases NeWOM; NeWOM influences boycott intention and partially mediates the relationship between brand hate and boycott behavior. Overall, strong feelings of brand hate enhance consumers’ tendency to spread negative opinions and experiences, which directly or indirectly strengthen their intention to boycott; thus, the study contributes to understanding the negative emotional and communicational dimensions of consumer–brand relationships.