Original and metaphorical bereavement: The current state of research and future directions in consumer behaviour

Abstract

This article will study the impact of two types of bereavement on consumer behaviour: original (following the death of a loved one) and metaphorical (following any significant loss). It will discuss the idiosyncratic decision-making process in bereavement and propose the use of a new theoretical framework that will provide fresh insight into how original bereavement influences consumption behaviours. Furthermore, it will show how the concept of metaphorical bereavement makes it possible to gain an alternative understanding of certain consumer reactions to brand abandonment strategies or to analyse acculturation processes differently. This will open up new avenues of research both on consumer brand/brand name relationships and on ethnicity. To carry out this research agenda, we will first present a literature review of the concept of bereavement in the fields of anthropology, psychology and sociology, and then propose a definition of this concept. Next, we will identify the main theoretical models referring to this concept and, finally, discuss the conditions under which these future studies and new methodological tools could be used.