Using a two (crisis response strategy: diminish vs. rebuild) × three (source: brand organization vs. brand executive vs. brand fan) experimental design, this study examines how brand fans (i.e., consumers who identify with a brand) can be prompted to protect a brand’s reputation during crises and how the selection of a crisis spokesperson can influence consumers’ evaluations of the crisis communication. Being buffers for their preferred brands, brand fans are more likely to accept their brand’s crisis response and engage in positive electronic word-of-mouth on social media. Brand fans are more likely to evaluate other brand fan’s social media accounts as a credible crisis communication source, whereas those who are not brand fans are more likely to evaluate brand and/or brand executives as credible. Findings provide theoretical applications in paracrisis literature pertaining to social media but also practical implications for brand managers to strategically utilize brand fans in crisis communication.

本研究使用两个（危机应对策略：减少与重建）×三个（来源：品牌组织与品牌执行官与品牌迷）实验设计，研究了品牌迷（即认同品牌的消费者）如何做到提示在危机期间保护品牌声誉，以及危机代言人的选择如何影响消费者对危机沟通的评估。作为其首选品牌的缓冲，品牌迷们更有可能接受其品牌的危机应对，并在社交媒体上进行积极的电子口碑传播。品牌拥护者更有可能将其他品牌拥护者的社交媒体帐户评估为可信的危机沟通源，而那些非品牌拥护者则更有可能将品牌和/或品牌管理者评估为可信的。