Consumer Fad Dynamic: the consumer behavior and the Gin case

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to characterize the consumption of an international consumer product fad. Design/methodology/approach A literature review of the concepts that can be related to an international fad was conducted, which included the study of the product life cycle, CAGE distances, the herd behavior, the consumer behavior in social media, the conformism and perceived newness. To know more about the subject, the Gin case was studied. The quantitative study began to define an initial model with the variables that can have impact on the consumption of the Gin. Based on the initial model, a survey was built and conducted, obtaining 143 valid responses. The data were analyzed on the basis of the structural equation modeling. Findings The results verified the positive impact of need for group differentiation on the consumption Gin. The perceived newness had a direct impact on its consumption. An international fad lasts while it is differentiator for the consumer, so the herd behavior influence was not validated. Research limitations/implications This study had a limitation in terms of responses. This study was made using a practical case of beverage, so its applicability to other types of products is limited. Originality/value This study is about consumer fads. It characterizes the key concepts in various moments of a fad: the implementation, the evolution of its consumption and its end. The study identifies the variables that have a positive impact on the consumption of a real fad. Data from sales geography diffusion in time are also analyzed.