Marketers regularly remind consumers of valued social relationships (e.g., close friends, family, romantic couples) to influence choice and consumption. However, the author's research reveals that such relationship reminders can backfire when consumers lack or no longer have these highlighted relationships. The author shows that reminding consumers of relationships they lack reduces their perceptions of deservingness and causes them to restrict indulgent consumption. Five studies establish the effect of relationship reminders on indulgence and provide support for the underlying process by both measuring and manipulating perceptions of deservingness.
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