CUSTOMER BONDING IN A HOSTILE MARKET ENVIRONMENT

Purpose Branding creates the distinctive image and identification whereas rebranding assures the customers on the quality aspects. It would also lead those customers to act as recommenders of their brands through positive word of mouth. In a hostile market where the brand is negatively publicized, the effects of rebranding on the brand attachment among the regular customers is focused in this study. Methodology The study analyzed the responses of 287 regular customers of local packaged milk brand X. Interview schedule was used to help the respondents to understand and respond to the questions posed to them. Findings The results conclude that in habitual buying, though the negative remarks in the market affects the rebrand trust negatively, the brand experience influences the brand satisfaction and the brand attachment than the rebrand trust. Research limitations The study was focused on the single product and single privately owned local brand X. Other public and private brands were not considered for the study. Practical implications The study could help the brand managers, marketing managers and retailers to devise rebranding strategies to create the bonding between their brands and their customers. Social Implications The study could make it clear that rebranding is still a complex task for the marketers to again win the trust of its customers. It would enable them to pay more attention to quality than anything else.