The neuropeptide oxytocin modulates consumer brand relationships

• DOI: 10.1038/srep14960
• Publication Date: 2015-10-09T09:19:02Z
• Authors: Andreas Fürst; Jesko Thron; Dirk Scheele; Nina Marsh; René Hurlemann
• Keywords: Brand relationship

Abstract Each year, companies invest billions of dollars into marketing activities to embellish brands as valuable relationship partners assuming that consumer brand relationships (CBRs) and interpersonal rest upon the same neurobiological underpinnings. Given crucial role neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) in social bonding, this study tests whether OXT-based mechanisms also determine bond between consumers brands. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled involving 101 subjects analyzed effect intranasal OXT on consumers’ attribution qualities brands, paired with human celebrity endorsers familiar persons. indeed promoted not only case semi-social stimuli, but Intriguingly, for scoring high autistic-like traits, was completely reversed, evident even lower across all stimulus categories. The importance CBR context is further corroborated by three-fold increase endogenous release following exposure one’s favorite positive associations baseline peripheral concentrations qualities. Collectively, our findings indicate plays fundamental developing relationships, enables formation objects such