For battered brands, consumers can be defenders

""If the $30 was too expensive, then nobody would have bought it," tweeted one customer."

""In today's world, everything is a two-way interaction, and consumers get involved in the process," he says. "They make videos and they stand up for the brands. They can be very valuable in offsetting negative communication.""

"He calls these online customers "brand defenders.""

Customers sometimes publicly defend brands on social media, reducing negative impact and supporting brand reputation. A high-profile example involved a Domino's delivery selling pizzas for $30 in Times Square on New Year's Eve, with buyers justifying the price because of difficult conditions. Analysis of three months of Facebook comments across eight U.S. brands found that on average one in 20 comments defended a brand, with a range from 1% to 10%. Interviews and a 570-person online survey identified three distinct defender types with different motivations. Defenders often create videos and content that offset negative communication.

Read at Phys