PhD scholar Midhila K S presents research at Association of Consumer Research Conference, Paris

Midhila K S, doctoral scholar in the Marketing area at IIM Bangalore presented her research, ‘Midnight for Cinderella: For whom does the underdog narrative work’, at the Association of Consumer Research Conference 2024, held in Paris, from 26-29 September 2024.  

Her study explores the narrative and the subsequent effect of an ‘underdog’ in brand biographies. More specifically, the research posits that since the identification with the underdog phenomenon is so strong, usage of the underdog effect by an erstwhile underdog brand is likely to backfire and will result in negative outcomes such as lowered purchase intention for the brand. This is because such narratives are typically perceived by consumers as ‘inauthentic’– a critical factor influencing brand status and reputation. 

The study, with its limiting condition for the underdog effect, offers a caveat to managers to test the positioning of the brand before employing the underdog effect.