Coke or Pepsi: Has your romance passed its 'fizzical'?
Washington D.C. [USA], Aug 15 (ANI): You like Coke and your partner likes Pepsi - It may not seem like a big deal, but according to a recent study, different brand preferences can take the fizz out of your relationship.
ANI
Aug 15, 2017 18:29 IST
Washington D.C. [USA], Aug 15 (ANI): You like Coke and your partner likes Pepsi - It may not seem like a big deal, but according to a recent study, different brand preferences can take the fizz out of your relationship. "People think compatibility in relationships comes from having similar backgrounds, religion or education," said researcher Gavan Fitzsimons from the Duke University. "But we find those things don't explain how happy you are in life nearly as much as this notion of brand compatibility." The researchers found that partners who had low power in their relationships - those who don't feel they can shape their partner's behaviour - tend to find themselves stuck with their partner's preferred brands. "If you are lower in relationship power and have different brand preferences than your partner, you're probably going to find yourself stuck with your partner's favourite brands, over and over again. This could lead to a death-by-a-thousand-cuts feeling," Lead author Danielle Brick said. "Most couples won't break up over brand incompatibility, but it leads to the low power partner becoming less and less happy." Studies in several settings produced the same result. The researchers used brand preferences in soda, coffee, chocolate, beer and automobiles to study individuals and couples, some of whom were tracked over two years. These results were combined with findings on relationship power and happiness. Brick noted that it's likely these brand compatibility effects have steadily gained strength as brands have evolved to play a bigger role in the daily lives of consumers. But they aren't given the same weight as other relationship-influencing factors because they're not seen as significant. "People who are looking for love should maybe consider including brand preferences on their dating profiles," Fitzsimons said. "There's also an opportunity for marketers to seek to be the family brand. Even if two partners have slightly different brand preferences, if they can adopt a joint brand that both are happy about, that might increase happiness for a partner who would otherwise feel unsatisfied." Fitzsimons added that family branding isn't currently commonplace. "Some brands are marketed as family-oriented, but that's not the same as reaching out to everyone in the family," he said. "It's tricky, but firms that get it right can have their brand associated with happiness and harmony - and there's nothing better than that." The study is published in the Journal of Consumer Research. (ANI)
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