Exploring the Positive and Negative Aspects of Customer-Brand Relationships: Why Disengagement Matters

Conceptualizations of customer-brand relationships have tended to focus on relationship development and maintenance (e.g., Fournier, 1998; Palmatier et al. 2006). However, it has been noted that focusing on only the more positive aspects of relationship development and engagement, instead of examining this in tandem with the process of relationship termination, risks the creation of a schism in our understanding of customer-brand relationships (Bendapudi & Berry 1997). Morgan and Hunt (1994, p. 33) have reiterated this point in noting that "just as medical science should understand both sickness and health, marketing science should understand both functional and dysfunctional relationships." It follows that if marketing firms are to continue to promote the development of engaged, long term relationships with their customer base then a more complete relationship development model which examines not only engagement, but also disengagement is required. This paper will focus on this important process.