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Research studies on brand transgression (BT), service failure and recovery (SFR), and product-harm crisis (PHC) appear to have a common focus, yet the three streams developed surprisingly independently and with limited reference to one another. This situation is unfortunate because all three fields study a similar phenomenon by using complementary conceptualizations, theories, and methods; we argue that this development in silos represents an unnecessary obstacle to the development of a common discipline. In response, this review synthesizes the growing BT, SFR, and PHC literatures by systematically reviewing 236 articles across 21 years using an integrative conceptual framework. In doing so, we showcase how the mature field of SFR in concert with the younger but prolific BT and PHC fields can enrich one another while jointly advancing a broad and unified discipline of negative events in marketing. Through this process, we provide and explicate seven overarching insights across three major themes (theory, dynamic aspects, and method) to encourage researchers to contribute to the interface between these three important fields. The review concludes with academic contributions and practical implications., Author(s): Mansur Khamitov [sup.1] , Yany Grégoire [sup.2] , Anshu Suri [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.59025.3b, 0000 0001 2224 0361, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, , 50 Nanyang Ave, [...]

In addition to humanoid‐robotic designs, an increasing number of artificial intelligence (AI)‐powered services are being represented by animals, referred to as zoonotic design. Yet, little is known about the consequential effects of such zoonotic AI on consumer adoption of these services. Drawing on the concepts of prototypicality, Cognitive Load Theory, and the "Match‐up" Hypothesis, the current research uncovers how the use of zoonotic designs, as opposed to robotic ones, may negatively influence consumers' adoption of AI over a human provider. The results of seven studies suggest that consumers are less likely to choose an AI over a human provider for performing tasks when the AI has a zoonotic embodiment rather than a robotic embodiment. This negative effect is mediated by the increased cognitive difficulty associated with linking the AI prototype to the task. However, such a negative effect decreases when the characteristics of the animal are congruent with the task and is even reversed when the congruent task is of a hedonic nature. These findings advance the understanding of consumer–AI interactions in the context of zoonotic embodiment and provide valuable managerial insights into when and how firms should use zoonotic design for AI‐powered services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant research on social media influencers primarily focuses on the prepurchase stage (i.e., how influencers affect consumers' purchase intentions), while overlooking the postpurchase stage. In this research, we investigate how the valence of an influencer's product review can impact consumers' affective states after a dissatisfactory experience with the product. Specifically, two rival hypotheses, based on Social Contagion theory and cognitive dissonance theory, respectively, are tested to assess whether an influencer's positive (vs. negative) review about the same product can improve consumers' affect. Results from automatic facial expression analysis and sentiment analysis show that an influencer's positive (vs. negative) review leads to an improvement in consumers' post-failure affect. Reconciling the two theories, the authors show that the improvement in consumers' post-failure affect is a result of their improved attitude toward the product, following an influencer's positive review. In addition, findings suggest this effect is moderated by the level of trust in the influencer, as well as the severity of the product failure. The results also show an important managerial outcome: An improvement of consumers' post-failure affect (i.e., happiness) leads to a decrease in consumers' willingness to share negative word-of-mouth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]