Abstract:
Globalization, competitiveness, and technological advancements have significantly
increased consumer engagement in mobile communications, turning the
telecommunications industry into a global commercial trend. Companies struggle to
build long-term brand loyalty in Sri Lanka, where the telecom sector operates in an
oligopolistic market with limited service differentiation. This challenge is especially
prominent among Generation Z consumers, who are highly tech-savvy, socially
conscious, and quick to react negatively to poor brand experiences. Although "Brand
Hate", defined as strong negative emotions toward brands, is becoming more
common worldwide, it remains an under-researched area in the Sri Lankan service
sector, particularly among Gen Z consumers. This study explores the key antecedents
that drive brand hate among this segment by developing a conceptual framework
based on the Theory of Hate and the Theory of Consumer-Brand Relationships. The
model was tested using primary data collected from 367 Gen Z telecom users in
Western Province, Sri Lanka, through a self-administered structured questionnaire,
and analyzed using regression analysis in SPSS. The findings revealed five main
antecedents of brand hate: Negative Past Experiences, Symbolic Incongruity, Poor
Relationship Quality, Ideological Incompatibility, and Rumors. Among these, rumors
were identified as the most influential factor (β = 0.450), indicating that Gen Z
consumers are highly affected by unverified information spread through digital
platforms. These rumors can rapidly damage brand reputation and trigger intense
negative emotions, even without direct personal experience. An overall conclusion
can be drawn that rumors, poor relationship quality, and ideological incompatibility
significantly influence brand hate behavior. At the same time, negative past
experiences and symbolic incongruity do not have a notable impact among Gen Z
consumers in the telecommunications industry in the Western Province of Sri Lanka.
These insights highlight the need for telecom brands to go beyond functional service
delivery and instead focus on managing their brand image, online reputation, and
alignment with consumer values to reduce brand hate and build stronger emotional
connections with Gen Z consumers in Sri Lanka.
