When I think about brand rivalries, one that immediately comes to mind is Starbucks versus Dunkin’. Both companies sell coffee and similar products, but they have created different identities that attract different types of consumers. Personally, I prefer Starbucks because I like the variety of drinks and the overall experience more, but I also know people who will choose Dunkin’ every time. That is what makes this rivalry interesting to me. Even when two companies sell similar products, consumers can develop strong preferences and become loyal to one brand over the other.
Traditional rivalry strategies focus on showing consumers why one brand is better or different from its competitor. With Starbucks and Dunkin’, consumers may compare things like taste, price, convenience, drink options, rewards programs, and the atmosphere of the stores. Starbucks is known for offering a large variety of customizable drinks and creating more of a coffee shop experience, while Dunkin’ has built its brand around coffee and convenience. These differences help each company create its own position in the market. They can also strengthen loyalty because once consumers find the brand that fits what they want, they may continue choosing it without giving the other brand much consideration.
However, companies do not always have to make their competitors look bad to make themselves look better. Research by Zhou et al. (2022) found that praising a competitor can actually improve how consumers view the brand giving the compliment. Competitor praise can make a brand appear warmer and can positively influence consumer attitudes and choices. For example, imagine Starbucks posting something positive about Dunkin’ instead of trying to convince everyone that Starbucks has better coffee. Since consumers are used to seeing brands compete, a genuine compliment could be unexpected enough to get their attention.
I think consumers respond positively to competitor praise because it can make a company seem more confident and genuine. We are constantly seeing advertisements telling us why one product is better than another, so seeing a brand give credit to a competitor feels different. This also connects to automatic processing and thin-slice theory. Consumers do not always spend a lot of time analyzing every advertisement they see. Sometimes we make quick judgments based on a small amount of information. Seeing one positive interaction between Starbucks and Dunkin’ could be enough for a consumer to quickly view the brand giving the compliment as friendly, confident, or respectful. That positive impression could increase engagement and possibly influence whether they purchase from that brand in the future.
At the same time, I do not think praising competitors would work in every situation. If Starbucks constantly praised Dunkin’, consumers might start wondering why they should not just go to Dunkin’ instead. It could also have the opposite effect if the compliment seemed fake or like an obvious marketing strategy. For this approach to work, I think the praise has to feel genuine and should not take attention away from what makes the brand itself different.
Overall, Starbucks and Dunkin’ show how brand rivalry can influence consumer behavior in different ways. Traditional competition can encourage consumers to choose a side and become loyal to a specific brand, while competitor praise can create a more unexpected and positive impression. Even though I personally choose Starbucks, someone else may choose Dunkin’ based on what matters most to them. In the end, sometimes showing respect for the competition can say just as much about a brand as explaining why its own products are better.
Reference
Zhou, L., Du, K. M., Cutright, K. M., & John, L. K. (2022). If it’s good for the rival, it must be good for me too: The effects of competitor praise on consumer evaluations and choices. Journal of Marketing, 86(4), 74–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429211053090
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