This research examines how brand-to-brand dialogues, specifically "roasting" versus "toasting," influence consumer perceptions and attitudes on social media. The authors find that roasting can be more effective than toasting at improving brand attitudes because it provides a higher level of perceived entertainment. However, the success of aggressive humor depends on message neutralization, which involves using contextual cues or specific events to signal that the mockery is benign.
The study was coauthored by Dr. Ashok Bhattarai, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing. The paper, entitled "The effects of roasting versus toasting brand-to-brand dialogues on consumer perceptions" was published in the European Journal of Marketing in 2025. (https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-09-2022-0654).
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