The Role of Brand-Elicited Affect in Brand Extension Evaluations

EXTENDED ABSTRACT - Consumer’s evaluations of brand extensions are often guided by their perception of how well the extensions Afit@ the core brand category. This perception, in turn, depends on similarity of the extension to the core brand in terms of physical features, functions, prestige value, or the skills required to manufacture the products (Aaker and Keller 1990). Consumers who perceive a good fit between the extension and the core brand category are likely to consider the extension to be a member of the category, and consequently, evaluate the extension based on their previously formed judgment of the core brand. In any event, the assessment of fit requires a deliberative identification and comparison of specific characteristics of the extension with those of the core. However, this assessment may not always be made. For example, consumers may sometimes base their evaluations of a brand extension on their subjective affective reactions to the core brand name without considering any specific features that the extension might have. They may interpret these feelings as an indication of how much they are apt to like the extension and form an initial impression of it on the basis of these feelings alone. Once this impression is formed, it could later have a direct influence on extension evaluations that is independent of more deliberative categorization processes that might occur subsequently.

Citation:

Catherine Yeung and Robert S. Wyer, Jr. (2005) ,"The Role of Brand-Elicited Affect in Brand Extension Evaluations", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 32, eds. Geeta Menon and Akshay R. Rao, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 134-134.