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The Janus Face of Ideal Self-Congruence: Benefits for the Brand versus Emotional Distress for the Consumer

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  • Lucia Malär
  • Daniela Herzog
  • Harley Krohmer
  • Wayne D. Hoyer
  • Andrea Kähr

Abstract

Branding strategies that target the consumer’s ideal self may not always be effective, as they elicit both positive and negative consumer reactions and emotions. In a series of studies, we demonstrate that congruence between the brand’s personality and the consumer’s ideal self improves the consumer’s attitude toward the brand through anticipated self-enhancement but also increases his or her negative self-conscious emotions through envy. These consumer reactions depend on the type of ideals represented by the brand (agentic vs. communal ideals) and on consumers’ self-discrepancy. Our research emphasizes the importance of examining both the risks and the rewards of branding strategies that target consumers’ ideal self-congruence and highlights the need to take a contingency perspective when doing so.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucia Malär & Daniela Herzog & Harley Krohmer & Wayne D. Hoyer & Andrea Kähr, 2018. "The Janus Face of Ideal Self-Congruence: Benefits for the Brand versus Emotional Distress for the Consumer," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(2), pages 163-174.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jacres:doi:10.1086/697080
    DOI: 10.1086/697080
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    Cited by:

    1. Adnan Zogaj & Dieter K. Tscheulin & Jörg Lindenmeier & Stephan Olk, 2021. "Linking actual self-congruence, ideal self-congruence, and functional congruence to donor loyalty: the moderating role of issue involvement," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(3), pages 379-400, April.
    2. Zogaj, Adnan & Mähner, Philipp M. & Yang, Linyu & Tscheulin, Dieter K., 2023. "It’s a Match! The effects of chatbot anthropomorphization and chatbot gender on consumer behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    3. Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Chuah, Stephanie Hui-Wen, 2021. "“Stop the unattainable ideal for an ordinary me!” fostering parasocial relationships with social media influencers: The role of self-discrepancy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 146-157.

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