Relationship

Marco  said  that  Bellavista  is  his  favourite  winery  and  it  was  also  before  the  new  image.  Saying   that   has   cancelled   every   doubt   that   the   change   hasn’t   affected   its   preference   towards   the   brand,  neither  negative  nor  positive  reaction  has  been  reported.  

All   the   interviewees   have   expressed   as   a   major   feeling   admiration   and   esteem   toward   the   brand;  nobody  described  negative  changes  in  those  feelings.  On  the  contrary,  Andrea  said  that   he  has  risen  up  their  admiration  because  “innovating  in  the  wine  business  is  something  that  is   really  difficult  to  see…  they  have  revealed  their  bravery…”  

It   is   clear   that   the   emotional   side   is   stronger   than   the   other.   In   fact,   it   has   been   found   that   feelings  have  the  power  to  influence  the  judgements  that  customers  hold  about  the  product   and  its  characteristics.  

Furthermore,  the  power  of  brand  personality  is  the  link  between  self-­‐image  and  preference;  

as  long  as  the  congruence  between  the  actual  self-­‐image  of  the  customer  and  the  image  of  the   brand   (its   personality)   is   positive   and   high,   the   customer   will   express   a   high   degree   of   preference  toward  the  brand.  (Aaker  1997)  

A  Facebook  user  is  reporting  his  doubt  about  the  wine  saying  that  a  lot  of  people,  presumably   her  friends  have  noticed  that  the  wine  has  completely  changed  its  taste,  adding  the  fact  they   used  to  buy  many  bottles  but  they  are  now  stopping  to  purchase  it.  

Another  one  is  deluded  by  the  packaging  and  consequently  by  the  taste,  which  in  his  opinion   has  got  worse,  and  the  product  now  is  not  anymore  the  best  one  on  the  market.    

The   examples   furnished   by   these   studies   have   posed   the   attention   on   what   happens   when   consumers  are  in  contrast  with  the  decision  undertaken  by  the  brand.  When  they  consider  it   as  a  relationship  partner,  they  give  such  importance  to  its  actions  that  they  can  break  up  the   bonds  which  tied  them  together  for  many  years  just  for  the  fact  that  Bellavista  took  a  decision   they   cannot   accept   and   that,   in   a   way,   has   ruined   their   relationship.   This   confirms   that   the   marketing   actions   are   considered   as   tangible   behaviours   of   the   brand   in   relation   to   his   customers   (Fournier   1998).   Relationships   can   be   considered   valid   because   they   refer   to   consumers  lived  experiences.  

During   the   interviews   I   have   observed   that   Marco   and   Walter   had   two   different   opinions   about   the   change   but   none   of   them   reported   any   change   in   the   relationship   that   they   hold   with  Bellavista.  

Regarding  Alice  it  was  difficult  to  see  what  changes  occurred  in  her  mind;  she  didn’t  report   any   change   in   her   feeling   toward   the   brand   but   during   the   interview   something   caught   my   attention:   relative   changes   in   her   intentions   on   changing   her   behaviour   toward   the   brand.    

It   seems   that   after   the   change   she   trusts   Bellavista   more   and   that   she   feels   more   confident   with  the  brand;  at  a  social  level  she  believes  that  if  she  brings  the  new  bottles  of  Bellavista  to  a   dinner  with  her  friends  she  could  make  a  good  impression.  Alice  also  pointed  out  the  fact  that   she  would  like  to  increase  the  consumption  of  the  products.  

Another  example  of  changing  behaviour  was  that  she  was  comparing  Bellavista  rosè  with  a   champagne  rosé,  which  she  has  bought  for  a  past  dinner  with  her  boyfriend:  

Alice:  I  chose  Bellavista  because  it  has  a  good  presentation,  at  the  image  level,  and  I’m  sure  that   it  is  a  good  product.  In  this  category,  it  is  the  most  innovative,  young  and  its  image  its  suitable  to   myself  comparing  it  to  other  competitors…  for  example  I  prefer  it  rather  than  a  Ca’  del  Bosco   rosè  or  a  Ferrari  rosè”  

…  

Me:  In  your  opinion,  do  you  think  that  bringing  this  bottle  rather  than  the  other  two,  will  ensure   you  a  better  impression  on  your  boyfriend?  

Alice:  Yes  of  course;  I  will  put  on  the  table  and  I  will  feel  very  comfortable  with  it!  

This   confirms   that   the   relationship   between   Alice   and   Bellavista   is   reinforced,   and   its   expression   is   the   intentions   to   increase   the   number   of   purchases   and   the   use   of   these   sparkling  wines.  

On  the  other  side,  Andrea  has  expressed  his  doubts  on  the  new  packaging  in  relation  to  his   consumption  and  his  work.  But  firstly  he  said:  

Andrea:  “The  new  image  hasn’t  changed  my  opinion  and  my  thought  about  the  products  and   the  brand…”  

He  considered  these  new  bottles  less  elegant  because  of  the  colours.  Andrea  sustains  that  in   some  contexts  an  orange  bottle,  or  blue,  is  too  much;  the  image  is  very  strong  and  it  cannot  fit   into  some  events.    

His  evaluation  is  double  faced,  corresponding  to  two  different  behaviours:  

First,  avoiding  the  purchase,  the  consumption  or  the  choice  of  Bellavista  as  the  sparkling  wine   to  offer  during  an  event;  he  wouldn’t  feel  comfortable  with  using  those  bottles  in  an  elegant  or   classy  situation.  

Second,  he  positively  considers  the  choice  of  the  brand  if  used  as  an  auxiliary  product,  such  as   in   showcases   or   presentations   of   other   luxury   goods.   He   also   imagined   that   these   bottles   could   give   more   vitality   to   these   kinds   of   occasions,   catching   participants’   attention.  

He  finishes  saying:  

Andrea:  “These  (new  packaging)  has  not  changed  my  relationship  with  the  brand,  I  will  continue   to   consume   it…   it   is   only   an   aesthetic   issue   which   has   repercussions   in   particular   night   and   events.”  

The  observation  in  this  level  corresponds  to  the  complexity  estimated  before  the  analysis.  By   the   way,   it   has   been   possible   to   report   many   different   phenomena,   which   are   useful   to   understand   the   strength   of   packaging   change   on   a   broad   and   deep   part   of   consumers’  

behaviour.  

The  netnography  proved  that  consumers  can  be  so  disappointed  by  the  brand  and  afterwards   feeling   so   betrayed   to   interrupt   the   relationship.   Doing   so,   they   have   accepted   that   their   relationship   partner   is   a   vital   entity   that   changes   his   personality;   this   behaviour   is   comparable  to  a  person  we  don’t  like  anymore  and  we  can  break  up  the  relations  with.  

The  importance  they  give  to  the  past  relationship  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  they  took   time   to   think   about   how   they   were   feeling   and   then   have   communicated   it   directly   to   Bellavista  instead  of  keeping  their  thoughts  into  their  mind  without  expressing  them.  

During   the   interviews   we   have   seen   that   Alice   has   found   herself   more   similar   to   Bellavista   when   the   brand   has   changed   its   dress;   what   has   happened   is   that   the   brand   personality   of   Bellavista  has  earned  a  better  consideration  in  her  mind  and  the  results  is  that  she  is  more   willing  to  extend  the  relationship  with  the  brand.  (Keller,  1998)  

This  definitely  links  the  concept  of  self-­‐image  congruence  to  the  brand  personality  and  after   to  the  brand  relationship;  in  the  framework  created,  they  have  to  exist  and  are  necessary  to   contextualize  the  reactions  of  the  brand  customers.