Consumers relate to brands similar to how they relate to people, suggesting the existence of a relationship between consumers and brands. This relationship is known as consumer brand relationship (CBR). CBR theory further emphasizes the importance of consumer emotions toward brands. However, while CBR research has been conducted for over 20 years, there is still limited understanding of negative consumer emotions. Previous research in the CBR domain has primarily focused on positive emotions such as love, satisfaction, and contentment. Recently, there has been an increase in studies on negative emotions, but the emphasis has been predominantly on constructs like brand hate, anger, and anxiety. A systematic literature review reveals a lack of clarity in the existing literature regarding the manifestation of other negative emotions such as brand grief in consumers when strong CBR dissolute. A handful of studies have focused on bereaved consumers due to personal loss, divorce or breakup, and celebrity death. This work therefore seeks to conceptualize brand grief and examine its nature, causes, and consequences, drawing upon theories of CBR and interpersonal grief. This is accomplished through a five-phase research approach utilizing mixed methods.

In the first phase, brand grief is conceptualised using established guidelines for the construct development process. In the second phase, a netnographic analysis is conducted on online brand communities of product (BlackBerry, Nike, and Nestle) and human brands (Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson), employing a hermeneutic approach to identify the causes. The third phase involves in-depth interviews with bereaved consumers of the same brand communities to ascertain the consequences of brand grief. A multidimensional measure for brand grief is developed using a modified approach of Churchill (1979) in the fourth phase of the research. Finally, in the fifth phase an experimental research using a between-subjects design empirically investigates the antecedents and outcomes of brand grief.

The findings from these studies demonstrate the multifaceted nature of brand grief and identifies death and transgression as the causes of brand grief. Brand switching, hoarding, brand avoidance, and trust diminution are identified as the outcomes .The research advances theoretical knowledge and has implications for brands. It is a pioneering study conceptualizing, measuring, and establishing a holistic understanding of brand grief. It emphasizes the importance of proactive brand management to prevent negative consumer actions like brand switching and avoidance, and highlights the value of leveraging emotional connections to maintain a strong CBR. The research helps managers comprehend the consequences of brand grief in consumers, facilitates the identification of grief signs through brand community monitoring, and suggests appropriate strategies. Additionally, it provides suggestions to competitor brands on generating awareness, offering alternatives, and endorsing their brand to meet the needs of bereaved consumers, thus addressing the gaps left by the dissolute brand.