Brand loyalty and repurchase intention in the face of opportunistic recalls: The moderating role of perceived dialogical CSR communication

Product recalls, particularly when perceived as opportunistic, can trigger severe consumer backlash, undermining brand loyalty and escalating protest behaviors that threaten long-term consumer-brand relationships. This study integrates expectancy violation theory and situational crisis communication theory to understand the implications of opportunistic recalls for brand loyalty and repurchase intention. A survey with 425 responses from car owners in the United States was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLSSEM). It found that opportunistic recalls significantly exacerbate negative brand personality and directly influence protest behavior and brand loyalty. A counterintuitive finding emerges with protest behavior positively impacting brand loyalty, an insight that expectancy violation theory may help elucidate, indicating that protest actions may sometimes strengthen loyalty. The study also highlights the moderating role of perceived dialogical corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication in attenuating the negative impact of opportunistic recalls on negative brand personality, aligning with the precepts of crisis communication theory. However, its influence on protest behavior is found to be minimal. This interplay highlights the significance of adept perceived dialogical CSR communication in mitigating the adverse effects of product recalls on brand perception. By integrating these theoretical lenses, the research contributes to crisis management, CSR, and consumer-brand relationships literature, providing practical implications for effectively employing CSR strategies in managing product recall crises, thereby sustaining brand loyalty and influencing future buying behavior.