About 25% of the negative situations reported by Romanian consumers are not caused by the quality of products or services, but are related to aspects of the way businesses are run and managed, such as lack of transparency or social involvement, political associations or false advertising. This is one of the main findings of the EXPUS study, conducted by Golin in collaboration with Path and iSense Solutions. EXPUS is based on a mix of data: on the one hand, data collected with Talkwalker, Golin’s customized social listening tool, and on the other hand, data collected directly from the consumer, through a quantitative online survey conducted by iSense.

“As permacrisis has become the norm, it is vital to understand how brands are perceived by consumers and how they react when they feel let down. Strategic communication requires a more thoughtful and sensitive approach, and EXPUS helps us to see the tensions that precede brand crises “said Cristina Butunoi, Deputy Managing Director Golin.

EXPUS analyzed four industries: Beauty, Fashion, Banking and Oil & Gas, as the brands of these sectors are omnipresent in consumers’ lives, regardless of their socio-demographic profile, and reveals that brands become exposed in three main situations: expectation violations, erroneous corporate decisions and differences in value systems.

One in four consumers admit that a negative comment leads them to share and add their own negative opinion or experience, even if it is unrelated to the original comment.

While only 29% of consumers say they would post negative comments or reviews, and almost half of them (45%) admit they prefer anonymity, if we zoom in with Talkwalker on consumer mentions alone, the share of negative sentiment increases to 44%.

Consumer reactions to negative reviews vary by platform and age. 68% of respondents indicated they have interacted with negative comments and reviews in the past six months. They identify Facebook as the main source of such content (78%), followed by review sites (30%), YouTube (29%), blogs, forums and news sites (25%). Consumers under 30, being more intensive users of the platforms Instagram and TikTok, point to these as significant sources of negative reviews – Instagram (46% vs. 22% total sample) and TikTok (34% vs. 22% total sample).

“We were able to reveal multiple significant insights that show how complex and nuanced the relationship between consumers and brands can be. It is precisely these nuances that are important when strategizing communications to choose tactics directly proportional to the desired impact on brands “said Roxana Bleoajă, Head of Path, Lowe Group.

The predominant emotion when consumers post a negative comment is anger, at 73%. It is combined with a positive motivation: the desire to warn other consumers (26%). Other motivations include the desire to get the company to remedy the situation (18%), to hold the company accountable (13%) or to make their voice heard (13%).

“EXPOSED reveals patterns of consumer behavior when brands disappoint their expectations. From confrontation, avoidance, to opposition and becoming that ambassador no one wants, brands have time to step in and fix it “, said Traian Năstase, Managing Partner, iSense Solutions.

70% of consumers have had negative experiences with a brand in the industries surveyed in the past six months

Consumers react differently to negative experiences with brands, adopting approaches such as direct confrontation (through emails, direct messages to the brand or company), avoidance, rejection, retaliation (negative comments and reviews posted on review sites, brands’ online channels or their own social media pages), and opposition (legal action against the company). 70% of consumers have had negative experiences with a brand in the past six months, and the main mistake a brand can make is cheating (17%).

Although 61% claim that they try to resolve unpleasant situations through direct confrontation, unprompted responses show that avoidance strategies, such as temporarily stopping consumption or warning acquaintances, are becoming the dominant behavior.

In the case of services, 49% of respondents indicate that their first reaction is direct confrontation, followed by revenge and contamination of others (27%). In the case of products, the initial reaction is avoidance or giving up (38%), followed by revenge (29%) if the brand’s mistake persists in the consumer’s perception.

81% of consumers follow brands online and are primarily looking for practical and useful information. Consumers’ preferences vary by gender and age: men want brands to be responsible (22%), women want brands to be inspiring (30%) and young people, especially those in Bucharest, are looking for entertainment (41%).

In conclusion, for brands, reputation management in the social media era is becoming fundamental and it is important to understand the intricacies of consumer reactions in the specific cultural context. Companies need to invest in reputation, assess risks and identify when they can intervene to maintain a positive relationship with consumers.

EXPUS is an analysis of Romanian consumers’ emotions and behaviors in relation to brands when they disappoint. It is based on data collected between September 2022 and June 2023 using the Talkwalker platform and analyzed by Path, accompanied by data obtained through an online survey conducted on a nationally representative urban sample of 800 respondents aged 18 to 65 years old.

Download the free study here.

Golin Romania is affiliated with one of the most valuable international PR networks, Golin Worldwide, a Public Relations agency that aligns its creative and data efforts with clients’ business to deliver impactful results. Together we arrive at the most valuable insights and collaborate in an inclusive environment, creating bold and results-oriented. Golin’s 1,700 global employees operate out of more than 50 offices around the world, allowing us to come up with complete solutions for multiple markets and for regional or global communications programs. Golin was named Global Agency of the Year at PR Week 2021, 2020 and 2019, Agency of the Year in the North America region at PRovoke Media 2021 and the first PR agency to win Gold and Silver for Creativity at Cannes Lions Festival 2019. In Romania, Golin is part of one of the leading communications groups, the Lowe Group, together with MullenLowe (advertising), Initiative (media) and Medic One (medical and pharmaceutical communications).

Path is the Lowe Group’s data analytics and interpretation unit, created in response to the need for businesses to adapt quickly to the speed at which consumer behavior changes. Path integrates an extensive suite of local and international tools and data sources, available across the group’s network of agencies, addressing all communication disciplines.

iSense Solutions – The Modern Consumer Company – uses the most innovative methods to explore and analyze the modern consumer. Founded in 2014, the company offers comprehensive market research services and brings a mix of innovation and efficiency to clients.