Category characteristics' effects on brand extension attitudes: A research note

Prior studies on attitudes towards brand extensions focus mainly on the effects of the perceived fit between the brand extension and the extension category. This exploratory paper contributes by describing two studies of how the following four extension category characteristics affect consumers' attitudes towards brand extensions: (1) the awareness set size; (2) the perceived similarity among existing brands; (3) the perceived category familiarity; and (4) overall category attitudes. Results from two studies suggest that consumers evaluate brand extensions more favorably when the awareness set size is small or when their attitude towards the extension category is favorable. Consequently, brand managers must analyze the extension category carefully when developing brand extensions.     

A closer look at similarity: The effects of perceived similarity and conjunctive cues on brand extension evaluation

Similarity between a core product and an extension product is regarded as a key success factor for brand extensions. However, a review of the literature reveals that the conditions under which high similarity is beneficial are unclear. In the first experiment, the authors test three models (the brand-attitude-transfer model, the incongruity-induced-affect model, and the “you cannot be good or bad at everything” principle) to predict the role of similarity. They find support only for the brand-attitude-transfer model. This suggests that high similarity is only beneficial when consumers evaluate brands favorably. Furthermore, little is known about how additional information provided by the supplier affects consumers' similarity perceptions without changing the extension product itself more than on a superficial level and without emphasizing common benefits. The authors compare the conditions of high and low core product/extension category similarity. Under the former condition, common peripheral advertising cues, similarity primes, portrayals of core products, and common peripheral design cues increase evaluations of extension products when the brand is evaluated favorably. Under the latter condition, these cues differ with respect to their effect.     

Image feedback effects of brand extensions: Evidence from a longitudinal field study

This paper examines the issue of image feedback effects and potential drivers of these effects by analyzing real-world extensions that have been introduced successfully in the market, using a longitudinal field study. Within the context of typical FMCG extensions, the authors find strong evidence that even for successful extensions, negative image feedback effects can occur, particularly when the perceived quality of the extension fails to meet the quality level of the parent brand. Strong brands tend to be more vulnerable to negative image feedback effects because consumers have a higher reference level for their extensions than for those of weaker brands. The likelihood of negative feedback effects decreases as the level of perceived fit and consumers’ perceptions of the general extendibility of the parent brand increases. But managers cannot, at least in the short run, mitigate negative image feedback effects through increased advertising support. Finally, the findings demonstrate that the feedback effects of a new extension product on parent brand image diminish over time.

Brand positivity and competitive effects on the evaluation of brand extensions

The dominant approach in brand-extension research has focused on the role of fit in the extension evaluation process. Overemphasis on fit has resulted in research designs that involve singular evaluation of the extension without considering how competing brands in the target category might affect the evaluation of brand extensions. Singular evaluations are known to result in brand positivity effects; that is, brand extensions are evaluated more favorably than is warranted. This research finds that singular evaluations do indeed lead to brand positivity effects. However, brand positivity effects are mitigated when respondents were provided with competitive information along with target-category structure and comparative/non-comparative brand positioning statements. Results also suggest that parent brand-extension fit, though an important determinant of an extension's assessment, plays a less critical role in a comparative evaluation context when an extension's brand strength is accounted for in relation to its competition in the target category. Therefore, the findings stress the importance of both competition and parent-brand fit in making informed positioning decisions and more realistic predictions of extension success. The research demonstrates when, how and to what extent comparative evaluations result in lower extension ratings and provides managerial strategies to introduce an extension effectively.     

Brand expertise and perceived consistency reversals on vertical line extensions: The moderating role of extension direction

Vertical line extensions are a valuable growth strategy for many retail service sectors. Correctly positioning a new vertical line extension in the price/quality spectrum is an important decision that has considerable implications for bottom line profits. This paper examines the moderating role of extension direction on the effect of perceived consistency on vertical extension evaluations. In two studies, we show that a lack of perceived consistency acts as a reminder to consumers that the brand may be stretching beyond its expertise, increasing perceived performance and financial risks for upscale extensions but not for downscale extensions. As a consequence, higher consistency results in higher upscale extension favourability whereas evaluations of downscale extensions are similar regardless of their perceived consistency with the parent brand.     

Political brand identity: An examination of the complexities of Conservative brand and internal market engagement during the 2010 UK General Election campaign

This paper seeks to build an understanding of the importance of internal communications when building a strong political brand. Using Kapferer's brand prism as a conceptual framework, the paper explores UK Conservative Party members' attitudes towards the development of the Conservative brand as personified by David Cameron. There are clear implications for political strategists as the findings suggest that it is crucial to engage the internal market in the co-creation of the marketing communications strategy for as brand evangelists they interpret the brand promise at the local level.     

Effect of strategy,structure and performance variables on store brand market share

The results obtained by store brands in a large number of markets have been favoured by a set of factors. Prominent among these factors are the actions by manufacturers and distributors on price and differentiation, market competition at both a manufacturer and a retailer level, and the economic-financial results of the latter for the product categories in which they work with a store brand. This research presents an explanatory fixed effects panel model of the market share of these brands that shows clearly the influence of the variables of competitive strategy, structure and performance. The study is applied to the Spanish market for 50 consumer product categories over 5 years, from 1996 to 2000.     

Endogenous market structure and the growth and welfare effects of economic integration

This paper studies the growth and welfare effects of integration in a world economy populated by global oligopolists. In economies that move from autarky to trade, growth and welfare rise because exit of domestic firms is more than compensated by entry of foreign firms so that integration generates a larger, more competitive market where firms have access to a larger body of technological spillovers that support faster growth. The effects of a gradual reduction of tariffs are different because economies start out from a situation where all firms already serve all markets. In this case, the global number of firms falls so that the variety of consumption goods and the diversity of innovation paths fall. The surviving firms, on the other hand, are larger and exploit static and dynamic economies of scale to a larger degree. These homogenization and rationalization effects work in opposite directions. Under plausible conditions, the rationalization effect dominates and growth and welfare rise.     

Understanding brand and dealer retention in the new car market: The moderating role of brand tier

Dealers may contribute to brand retention through their sales and service efforts. In this study we investigate the degree to which dealers contribute to brand retention and how this contribution is moderated by brand tier. To this end we distinguish between economy, volume and prestige brands. We also investigate how the effectiveness of dealer instruments to increase dealer retention differs across these brand tiers. We collected data on brand retention and dealer retention among consumers who recently purchased a new car. Our findings show that dealers selling volume brands are able to improve brand retention rates. In contrast, dealers of prestige and economy brands are unable to affect brand retention. In line with the notion of brand-dealer fit we also find that the effects of dealer extrinsic service quality and dealer payment equity on dealer retention differ between prestige, volume, and economy brands. Extrinsic dealer service quality has the smallest effect for dealers selling economy brands, while dealer payment equity is the most important determinant of dealer retention for these dealers.     

建立网上期货经纪人制度——关于“捆绑”期货投资咨询业务与网上交易的探讨

随着期货市场的规范发展和投资者要求的提高,期货投资咨询业务的发展必须建立在深入扎实研究和创造效益的基础上。传统的投资咨询业务存在诸多局限,已不能满足网上交易飞速发展的要求。通过建立网上经纪人制度,在网上经纪人、期货经纪机构与客户之间明确合理的佣金与投资收益的再分配机制,投资咨询业务直接面对市场和客户,以指导网上客户的具体交易活动为核心,从而形成的咨询业务与网上交易“一体化”的网站服务组织模式。     

Bundling as a new product introduction strategy: The role of brand image and bundle features

Marketers can bundle an unknown brand with a strong brand as a new product introduction strategy. Drawing upon the categorization theory and the elaboration likelihood model, this study examines how a new brand can benefit from bundling with a strong brand. The results of two studies indicate that consumers’ quality perception of a new brand will be affected by the brand image of a bundle partner, and this effect is moderated by the bundle forms and the complementarity of bundle components. Academic and managerial implications of these findings are presented, along with suggestions for further research.     

The impact of media on the legitimacy of new market categories: The case of broadband internet

Building on research in institutional theory and market categories, we argue that media coverage, through the effects of cognitive and sociopolitical legitimacy, influence the creation of new market categories. Using data on the broadband access industry, we develop and test a media coverage model of market category entries, demonstrating the legitimacy effects of media-based information exchange on the emergence of new market categories. We include two post hoc analyses on mediation effects to test the relationship between population density and media coverage. These results indicate a possible mediation relationship, which we discuss in the implications of our study.     

基于市场良性发展理念的广告监管创新模式——以深圳市市场监督管理局广告监测中心为例

广告市场发展的不规范性使得政府的广告监管工作成为必然。广告监管的理念应以促进广告行业良性、健康发展为导向,在整体、动态、开放的监管方式下创新监管模式,客观公正地为广告主、广告经营者、广告发布者以及受众服务。     

Integrating nonmarket and market resources,strategy and performance in Chinese enterprises: a review of the field and a resource-based empirical study

The resource-based view (RBV) regards strategy as deploying resources to obtain a competitive advantage. This article adopts such a RBV, by a simultaneous consideration of nonmarket and market factors, and then an empirical analysis of the relationships between such nonmarket and market resources, strategies and performance, focusing specifically on Chinese enterprises. The results test hypotheses related to the integrated strategy and RBV of the firm on linkages of nonmarket and market components. Combining those two views, this study reveals that there is a high and positive correlation between nonmarket and market strategies, while nonmarket strategy has a positive indirect effect on market performance via nonmarket performance. These findings suggest that the RBV is an appropriate theory for addressing the shortcomings in integrated strategy research.     

中国股市β系数稳定性研究

β系数是证券或证券组合与市场相互关联的一个概念和参数,它是衡量证券系统风险的重要指标,β系数的稳定性也一直是学术界和投资者特别关注的焦点。本文通过中国股票市场的31个行业数据的研究,得到中国股市样本β值在单位β值(1.00)附近上下波动并呈正态分布;也可以得到组合的β系数还是有较好的稳定性结论。     

论市值

市值大小影响本国货币的币值,币值变化也要影响到市值.在成熟的股票市场,市值的表现应是相对稳定的.在市值能够稳定的基础上,市值才能够逐渐增升.正常的市值跌落是由于货币升值,不正常的市值跌落会进一步地推动货币贬值.当股票市场出现了不正常的市值跌落.可以迅速地膨胀某些人的财富.中国股市的市值终将要强劲增升,因为中国经济进入工业化腾飞阶段后的高速发展,会引起价格随之上涨,货币随之贬值,于是市值相应必然增升.     

股指期货对股票市场的影响分析

中国股票市场发展至今已有近18年的历史,多年来,由于缺乏有效的风险对冲工具,市场一直处于一条腿走路的尴尬局面.而股指期货的推出必将对股票市场产生重大影响,本文将就此做简要的分析.     

新型工程塑料聚苯硫醚发展概况及市场分析

聚苯硫醚是促进我国高技术产业发展和传统产业升级不可缺少的一种新型高分子材料,作为通用工程塑料高性能化、特种工程塑料低成本化的材料品种之一,已被列入《中国高新技术产品目录》和《当前国家重点鼓励发展的产业产品和技术目录》,目前在国内具有良好的发展潜力和广阔的市场前景.本文简要介绍聚苯硫醚的物化性能、国内外发展概况及供需现状、应用领域和市场前景方面的一些情况.     

引力模型在我国农产品出口市场多元化中的应用研究

本文以各贸易伙伴国在我国农产品出口中的份额为被解释变量,构建了贸易引力模型,结果显示:进口国人均GDP、人口、人均水资源量、距离等是影响我国农产品出口市场结构的重要原因。回归模型的测算结果显示:我国对澳大利亚等22个国家的农产品出口份额还有进一步提高的潜力。如果把这些潜力都挖掘出来,使之达到理论的出口份额,则我国农产品出口过于集中于日、韩、美等市场的贸易格局将得到很大的改观,因此我国农产品出口市场结构还有进一步优化的空间。     

Effects of comparative advertising format on consumer responses: The moderating effects of brand image and attribute relevance

In this research we distinguish between ads that compare two different brands (Across-Brand Comparison or ABC ads) and those that compare different versions of the same brand (Within-Brand Comparison or WBC ads). Results from an experiment indicate that when comparative ads use attributes that are relevant to product performance, ad type and brand image interact such that an ABC ad leads to less favorable consumer perceptions than a WBC ad when image of the sponsor brand is low but not when it is high. However, when the ads use attributes that are irrelevant to product performance an ABC ad leads to less favorable consumer outcomes than a WBC ad, regardless of the image of the sponsor brand. We further propose and show that ad believability mediates these effects. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed and directions for future research are provided.