بازخورد توسعه نام تجاری : نقش تبلیغات

Firms often use brand extensions as a way of introducing their new products, although they also risk diluting their brand image. In order to understand how consumers assess extensions and extended brands, the present work proposes and estimates a theoretical model, using the structural equation methodology. The results of the estimation indicate that the attitude towards the extension influences brand image and that this attitude is a consequence of the initial brand beliefs and the coherence of the new product. A multisample analysis also reveals that favoring the introduction of extensions through adequate advertising constitutes an efficient way of protecting brand image.

Launching new products is a business activity with high risks and costs. As success rates are usually below 50% (Taylor and Bearden, 2003), firms often resort to brand extension strategies, in an attempt to make their new offers more attractive for consumers and distributors. Brand extensions involve using the name of an existing brand to introduce new product categories (Aaker and Keller, 1990) and leveraging the brand equity developed in traditional markets (Balachander and Ghose, 2003 and Farquhar, 1989). As well as stimulating demand, equity transfer from the original brand to the extension avoids the high costs of developing and communicating a new brand name (Aaker and Keller, 1990 and Milewicz and Herbig, 1994). These and other advantages may explain why extensions are one of the commonest strategies among marketing managers (Völckner and Sattler, 2006). Analyzing the transfer of associations between the brand and the new extension is essential when considering the success or failure of an extension strategy. The consumer mentally interchanges his knowledge and affection for the brand and the extended category (Czellar, 2003 and Keller, 2003) generating changes in the brand image and its positioning (Martínez and de Chernatony, 2004 and Park et al., 1986). Most researchers have focused on the “forward effect” or transference of associations from the parent brand to the extension (Aaker and Keller, 1990, Balachander and Ghose, 2003 and Czellar, 2003). However, the “feedback” or “backward effect” from the new category to the extended brand equally deserves the attention of researchers (Balachander and Ghose, 2003), since it can cause the dilution of established brand associations (Desai and Hoyer, 1993).

Firms with a positive image have the possibility of extending their brand through new products (Balachander and Ghose, 2003). Given that brands are one of the most important assets for firms, researchers and practitioners alike are interested in learning how to leverage the current brand associations and minimize the risk of image dilution. This paper has analyzed the feedback effects of brand extensions by proposing a theoretical model that considers the effects of brand equity dimensions, image fit and advertising. Unlike most previous research, which focuses only on their individual effects, this research examines the simultaneous relationships between these factors. Moreover, the inclusion of advertising as a moderating variable yields innovative results that identify strategic options to increase brand image leveraging. The results obtained are, thus, especially important for managers to know which factors and marketing actions should receive the most attention, depending on their relative influence on consumer behavior. According to the results of the model estimation, initial brand image transfers to the assessment of the new product, although this assessment may entail an alteration of existing beliefs. With an even more important role than brand image, attitude towards the extension depends on the perceived fit between the new category and brand associations, a fit that is higher in well-known brands. These results are in line with previous research that contemplates brand associations and perceived fit as the key factors leading to the success of brand extensions (Aaker and Keller, 1990 and Völckner and Sattler, 2006).