So you like Coke and your partner likes Pepsi? That’s not a big deal – is it?
Well, according to a new study from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, it is a big deal. Brand preference says a lot about your relationship and how it affects your happiness and life satisfaction.
We often evaluate, purchase and consume brands in the presence of others and most likely in the presence of our partners. But very little is known about how brand preference plays a role in our close relationships.
In this new study the researchers explore how brand compatibility (the extent to which both partners have the same brand preference) influences life satisfaction.
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The researchers conducted several brand preference studies using soda, coffee, chocolate, beer and automobiles to study individuals and couples, tracking some for over 2 years. These findings were combined with results on relationship power and happiness.
When brand compatibility was high, life satisfaction was high. However low brand compatibility can lead to conflict in the relationship and lower life satisfaction.
And this depends very much on relationship power.
The researchers found that partners who had lower power in their relationship (people who felt they could not shape or contribute to their partner’s behaviour), tend to feel like they are stuck with their partner’s brand preference.
In such a scenario this does not lead to a break-up of the relationship directly it does lead to less life satisfaction over the years making the lower power partner less and less happy.
While compatibility is often defined in terms of having similar backgrounds, religion or education, brand compatibility is not given the same weight in influencing relations even though brands have emerged as strong players affecting our daily lives.
With differing religious backgrounds, as an example, you know that this will be an issue and the relationship will not last. But when you like Coke while he likes Pepsi, it’s hardly a reason for a break up but can affect your happiness after many years together especially if you are the lower-power person in the relationship.
The researchers advise that people looking for love should consider brand compatibility on their dating profile to avoid such scenarios.
After all, if you like Coke and he likes Pepsi and if either of you can’t accept that happily, then perhaps you need to consider your own life satisfaction and happiness first.
Source: Journal of Consumer Research
