Abstract

In today’s emerging age of artificial intelligence, the deployment of voice-based technologies has been fostered by Generation Z users – the segment most accustomed to and experienced in using voice assistants (Vas). Accordingly, deeply evaluating the innovative and dynamic vocal interactions between users and brands that are empowered by so-called name-brand voice assistants (Nbvas) can offer fertile insights for the consumer-brand relationship literature. Despite substantial knowledge advances in this field, the need to more deeply explore the discrete variables of the specific forms of consumer-brand ties has emerged, especially in new interactive experiential contexts such as Nbvas. Therefore, the objective of our study is to advance marketing knowledge by investigating how the interplay between Generation Z’s individual and contextual variables qualifies diverse Nbva consumer-brand relationships, which we classify in terms of valence and intensity. Specifically, we apply a qualitative approach to evaluate in-depth personal interviews with Generation Z consumers using an Nbva (i.e., Google Assistant) on a smartphone. Our results reveal four relationship forms: deceiverdeceived, casual acquaintance, status symbol friendship and omniscient guide-learner. Our study thus enriches both the literature on consumerbrand relationships and the nascent research on the branding implications of Nbvas. Moreover, our findings provide a useful conceptual reference for brand managers involved in developing consumer-brand bonds in Nbva environments.