Hate towards brands of educational institutions: she hates for ideology, and he hates for previous experiences

Purpose: Despite the growing competition between higher education institutions and the empirical evidence that the brand is a relevant determinant of consumer preference, research studies on negative consumer–brand relationships (CBRs) are still scarce. Thus, this research intends to fill this gap, determining the antecedents of brand hate in educational institutions and identifying gender differences regarding the determinants of brand hate. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was carried out with 450 current students from higher education institutions. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS3. Findings: According to the results, previous negative experiences are the most significant driver of brand hate, with higher emphasis on male students. In this sense, investment in customer experience management (CXM) consists of a relevant strategy for higher education institutions. It was also observed that female students develop hate for ideological incongruity (ethical/moral behavior) and symbolic incongruence (lack of brand identity), revealing unprecedented facets of the phenomenon. Originality/value: This research extends the studies’ negative CBRs to educational institutions. It explores gender differences related to brand hate; a topic not explored before, but that enables a targeted approach of brand strategies. Finally, it provides managerial implications allowing the strategy to reduce negative CBRs and their consequences in educational institutions.