Effect of underdog (vs topdog) brand storytelling on brand identification: exploring multiple mediation mechanisms
| Date | 04 September 2020 |
| Pages | 626-638 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-11-2019-2639 |
| Published date | 04 September 2020 |
| Author | Elena Delgado-Ballester |
Effect of underdog (vs topdog) brand
storytelling on brand identification: exploring
multiple mediation mechanisms
Elena Delgado-Ballester
Department of Marketing, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to focus on the building of consumer–brand identification through the use oftwo themes (underdog and
topdog) in the design of brand storytelling. It proposes that the underdog theme is superior becauseit is more effective in immersing readers in the
story and generates higher emotional responses. The moderating effect of consumers’implicit mindsets is also expl ored.
Design/methodology/approach –An experimental study with a single-factorial design is conducted with 301 consumers assigned at random to
one of two brand storytelling conditions: underdog theme or topdog theme.
Findings –The results show a full mediating effect of the underdog (vs topdog) theme on brand identification through reader immersion and
empathic feelings.
Research limitations/implications –The use of a fictitious brand and a specific product category may limit the generalizability of the results.
Practical implications –Placing the brand in a story with an underdog plot is more effective in catching consumers’attention than using a topdo g
brand story. In particular, using an underdog theme is a good approach for targetingconsumers who have a growth mindset.
Originality/value –This study explains the persuasiveness of brand storytelling in terms of the characteristics of the storytelling itself rather than
the individual characteristics of consumers (e.g. their own underdog dispositions). The results also suggest that the implicit mindset of the individual
plays a role.
Keywords Immersion, Brand storytelling, Empathic feelings, Implicit mindsets, Topdog, Underdog
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Storytelling is an instinctual human activity used in every
domain of social life: Parents tell stories to their children at
bedtime, teachers inspire their students with stories about
society and musicians hook people by singing stories about
budding and fading romances (Sanders and van Krieken,
2018). Although stories vary greatly in content, stories about
underdogs are among the most popular, and the theme is
prominent in collective fantasy and consciousness
(Goldschmied et al.,2017). Religion (David vs Goliath), film
and fiction (Harry Potter, Cinderella), politics and sporting
events are filled with underdog stories in which a smaller, less
powerful entity faces overwhelming odds (e.g. a hostile
environment) or a stronger rival(i.e. a topdog). For instance, a
contemporary example of an underdog isthe 16-year-old
activist Greta Thunberg, who embodies the courage and
conviction of the unlikely heroine who emerges to lead a
movement againstclimate change.
Because underdog stories have become archetypal cultural
reference points (Schmidt and Steenkamp, 2018), this study
proposes the matching of brands with this archetype through
the use of storytelling as a means of building consumer–brand
identification (CBI). As such, this study has bothmanagerial
and academic implications.
From a managerial point of view, the distinction between
underdog and topdog brands is rooted in the hierarchical
structure of the market and the disparity of power among
competitors (Jin and Huang, 2019). Industries are full of
examples of underdog brands that appeal to their humble
origins (e.g. Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Under Armour, Ikea) or
are currently involved in unbalanced battles (big brands
dominating smaller rivals, or insurgent brands against
incumbents). At the same time, well-known national and
internationalbrands emphasize their dominant advantages over
small or local competitors. This dichotomy of underdog and
topdog is not limited to emerging or small brands that are
dominated by rivals; it can also be observed in the nonprofit
context, where many small charity brands face severe
The current issue and full text archiveof this journal is available on Emerald
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
29/2 (2021) 626–638
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-11-2019-2639]
Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the
author.
This research was supported by grant ECO2017-83999-R from the
Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigaci
on and the European Regional
Development Fund.
Received 10 November 2019
Revised 24 December 2019
24 April 2020
26 May 2020
Accepted 29 May 2020
626
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