The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of brand extensions. Specifically, the study examines how consumers’ perceived fit between parent brand and newly extended brands may help facilitate consumers’ post extension evaluation of parent brand equity and brand concept.

This study investigates the effects of the type of advertisement, brand extension, and consumer innovativeness on the credibility of fashion advertisements. The factorial design is constructed as a 2(type of fashion advertisement: general vs. cross-media) × 2(consumer innovativeness: high vs. low) × 2(the type of fashion brand extension: similar vs. dissimilar) three-way mixed design in which consumer innovativeness is the between-subjects variable. Subjects of this study included 210 men and women in their 20s and 30s who resid in Seoul and had SNS experiences. Frequency analysis, credibility analysis, three-way ANOVA, and simple interaction analysis were conducted using the SPSS 20.0 statistics package. The results are as follows: First, the type of fashion advertisement had a significant effect on advertising credibility. Cross-media advertisements had a more positive effect than general advertisements on all of the dependent variables. Also, the type of brand extension and consumer innovativeness showed significant effect on advertising credibility and the interaction effect between the type of fashion advertisement and consumer innovativeness was significant. Lastly, the effect of different types of brand extensions on advertising credibility showed a significant difference according to consumer innovativeness. Thus, a marketing strategy using cross-media advertising is proven to be effective in gaining consumer trust for a fashion brand.

Newly extended brands may use the retailers as a channel for new products in order that consumers can become familiar with them, since retailers as an initial contact point of transactions have become empowered to supply products to consumers. Related research has suggested that horizontal or vertical extensions enable brand companies to introduce new products by collaborating with retailers to offer a one-of-a- kind product line to differentiate their products and to gain the attention of consumers. Even though brand companies often produce different products through more than one extension, the effects of multiple extensions in a brand are not clearly investigated. In this regard, the current study aims to focus on how consumers evaluate extended brand products depending on the brand extension types (vertical and horizontal) when a brand collaborates with a retailer. Drawn from the attitude accessibility theory (Fazio, 1986), the conceptual framework was developed. The hypothesized relationships were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques with survey data of 218 responses for the vertical extension and 226 responses for the horizontal extension. The results show that the image fit between a brand and retailer has a significant relationship with attitude toward brand and consumers’ evaluations of brand extensions. However, the results highlight that the quality fit is only directly related to retailer attitude in the case of horizontal extension. Overall, the findings provide empirical evidence on how perceived fit between brand and retailer influences consumers’ attitude and brand extension evaluations. The current study makes several key contributions to both academia and industry practitioners by explaining how new products from extended brands may have different evaluative processes depending on the types of brand extensions when collaborating with a retailer.

This research examines the interplay between brand structure (i.e., cohesiveness and similarity) and extension typicality on extension spillover effects using two experimental studies. The results reveal that the dominance of brand similarity and cohesiveness on extension spillover effects depends on how typical the effecting brand extension is to its brand. For typical extensions, the cohesiveness of existing brand extensions is the determinant factor on extension spillover effects. In contrast, for atypical extensions, the similarity of existing brand extensions is the determinant factor on extension spillover effects. Moreover, brands with similar brand extensions are inherently perceived as high cohesive brands, which enhance perceived brand quality. In contrast, brands with dissimilar brand extensions are inherently perceived as low cohesive brands, which weaken perceived brand quality. However, brands with dissimilar brand extensions are perceived to be cohesive brands if the product functions of the brand extensions are interdependent.

Despite important theoretical implications seldom research exist regarding the impact of luxury parent brand status signaling on the evaluation of horizontal line extension through the moderating role of extension authenticity, quality and fit. The luxury literature review revealed that despite important theoretical implications seldom research exist regarding the impact of luxury parent brand status signaling on the evaluation of horizontal line extension through the moderating role of extension authenticity, quality and fit. Research has examined how consumers use luxury goods to signal their status or relative position in social hierarchies (Berger & Ward 2010; Dubois et al., 2012; Geiger-Oneto et al., 2013; Kastanakis, & Balabanis, 2014) but until the current study the luxury literature could not support the extent to which status signaling impact line extension’s evaluation through the moderating role of extension authenticity (Spiggle, Nguyen, & Caravella, 2012; Beverland & Farrelly, 2010; Morhart et al., 2015; Guèvremont & Grohmann, 2016). Previous studies have found that authenticity can be to emotional attachment (Morhart et al., 2015), help pursue personal goals (Beverland & Farrelli, 2010), or relevant to brand identity, status and equity (Guevremont & Grohmann, 2016). Surprisingly, none of these studies has empirically tested this important relationship. This study’s contribution to the literature is important as it empirically confirms that in launching a new line extension, a luxury parent brand’s status signaling will directly impact the extension’s evaluation. In the process, the perceived authenticity of the extension proves to affect the evaluation significantly if the perceived quality and fit of the extension are taken into consideration in the measurement framework.

Companies frequently use luxury or green as a brand extension strategy. The present research suggests that the success of the luxury or green brand extension depends on the parent brand’s core attribute-whether the parent brand is primarily luxury or green. In two experiments involving real brands (BMW, Prius, Chanel, Patagonia) across multiple product categories (automobile and bag), we investigated consumers’ evaluation of luxury green extension products (i.e., multi-attribute products with luxury and green attributes) whose parent brand is luxury (e.g., BMW) or green (e.g., Prius). Study 1 showed that luxury green products with luxury roots (i.e., parent brand is luxury) are evaluated more favorably than those with green roots (i.e., parent brand is green). Study 2 investigated the mechanism of perceived fit. Whereas luxury green product with luxury roots was perceived to have a high level of fit, the luxury green product with green roots was perceived to have a lower level of fit. Our findings encourage the luxury parent brand to extend green whereas discourage the green parent brand to extend luxury.

Brand extensions are a critical strategy for the introduction of new products, which are often prone to failure. The use of an established brand can help promote acceptance of the new product by reducing perceived risk, enhancing efficiencies in terms of distribution and promotion, and reducing overall costs associated with launching the new product. Previous research regarding brand extensions has shown that various factors influence success of brand extensions (e.g., marketing support and retailer acceptance). One of the most important factors driving brand extension success is the fit between a parent brand and its extension. A new marketing construct, emotional attachment to a brand, has recently been introduced to the brand extension literature. However, the role of consumers’ brand attachment, in terms of reactions to a brand extension has largely been ignored by researchers. The lack of research on brand extensions and brand attachment is somewhat surprising, given the considerable body of research findings that show consumers who are emotionally tied to a brand respond differently to that brand due to increased attachment. Building on this body of work, we propose that consumers who are emotionally attached to a brand will be less impacted by the degree of fit between the parent brand and its extension. In this research, we show that emotional attachment with a brand is an important factor underlying consumers’ responses to a brand extension. In particular, we explore the moderating role of brand attachment on consumers’ responses to extensions that vary in terms of fit with the parent brand. We also explore the process underlying observed effects. These issues are examined with an experiment regarding extensions for a real-world brand. Further, mediated moderation analyses indicate that the moderating effect of brand attachment is mediated by brand image fit, but not by product category fit. Implications of our findings for managers and researchers are also are provided.

The purpose of this study was to determine the gender differences in the relationships between knowledge of, attachment with, and attitude toward a parent brand and perceived risk of, attitude toward, and purchase intension of an extended product in the case of brand extension. A total of 300 survey questionnaires were distributed to 150 male and 150 female college students, and 275 responses were used for the final analysis. The results showed that for male college students, knowledge of the parent brand had a positive relationship with brand attachment with the parent brand, which in turn had a positive relationship with brand attitude toward the parent brand. Knowledge of the parent brand had a negative relationship with perceived risk of the extended product, which again had a negative relationship with attitude toward the extended product. In addition, for male college students, knowledge of the parent brand had a positive relationship with attitude toward the extended product, which also had a positive relationship with purchase intension of the extended product. For female college students, brand attachment with the parent brand had a positive relationship with brand attitude toward the parent brand, which also had a positive relationship with attitude toward the extended product. Brand attachment with the parent brand showed a negative relationship with perceived risk of the extended product, which also had a negative relationship with attitude toward the extended product.

Recently, some fashion retailers have initiated sustainable actions in the form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to address consumers’ social concerns. This study intends to combine the concept of CSR motivation attributions with brand extension literature in order to examine how consumers’ trust of a parent brand affects their CSR motivation attributions and ultimately their attitudes towards parent-brand CSR activities and sustainable extension lines. A self-administered online survey was conducted using scenarios describing a fast fashion retailer introducing a sustainable line. Data from 303 female U.S. consumers, aged between 18 and 34 years, were used for the statistical analysis. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS 21.0 for descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and regression analysis. The results revealed that all hypotheses were supported. The findings show that consumers’ trust of a parent brand has an indirect impact on positive attitudes towards the parent brand’s CSR activities as well as the sustainable extension product line, mediating positive evaluations of the brand’s social CSR motivations. In addition, this study suggests consumers’ prior trust of the parent brand is a variable that affects consumers’ evaluation of CSR motivation sincerity. Marketing suggestions and thoughts based on the findings of this study were provided.

This study aimed to identify the effects of fashion brand extensions types, preannouncing and consumers' regulatory focus on preference towards extension products. To that end, the study used a 2 (fashion brand extension types: similar vs. non-similar) × 2 (preannouncing: near preannouncing vs. far preannouncing) × 2 (regulatory focus: promotion focus vs. prevention focus) three mixed elements. The subjects of the study were 280 men and women in their 20~40s living in Seoul and Chungnam province and total of 229 data were analyzed. Data were analysed with SPSS 19.0 program and three-way ANOVA, simple interaction effects and simple main effects analysis were conducted. The results of this study are as follows: First there were significant differences in preference based on fashion brand extension types and preannouncing. Second, there were significant interaction effects in preference between extension types of fashion brand and regulatory focus. But there was no difference in preference toward extension products according to types of preannouncing and regulatory focus. Lastly, fashion brand extension types, preannouncing and regulatory focus showed significant interaction effects on preference. Thus even in cases of non-similar brand extensions which carry more risk of failing, the appropriate marketing communication strategies such as preannouncing will result in brand preference. Also marketing activities should be comprehensive and strategical based on consumers’ tendencies in order to derive positive evaluations.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of congruency of parent brand image with self-image, perceived risk, and product knowledge on the attitude towards extended product in fashion brand extension. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 170 female college students and collected data were subjected to descriptive analysis and regression analysis using SPSS Window program. The results of this study showed that the congruency of parent brand image with self-image and perceived risk had a positive effect on attitude towards extended product, whereas product knowledge had a negative effect on attitude towards extended product in fashion brand extension. Also, the congruency of parent brand image with self-image had a positive effect on the attitude towards extended product in fashion brand extension with positive moderating effect of perceived risk and negative mediating effect of product knowledge.

본 연구는 중국 소비자를 대상으로 명품 브랜드 확장 시 영향의 요인을 살펴보기 위해 모브랜드의 특성 및 확장제품 간의 관계를 통합적으로 고찰하였다. 첫째, 모브랜드의 특성으로는 브랜드의 명품성 정도에 따라 명품 브랜드와 비명품 브랜드를 선정하여 브랜드 명품성이 브랜드 확장에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. 실증 연구 결과 소비자들은 명품 브랜드의 확장제품에 대해 비명품 브랜드의 확장제품보다 브랜드 확장에 대해 긍정적으로 평가하였다. 둘째, 확장제품의 일치성이 브랜드 확장에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 하였다. 실증연구 결과 소비자들은 일치, 극도로 불일치한 확장제품보다 적당히 불일치한 확장제품을 더 긍정적으로 평가하였다. 또한 명품 브랜드, 비명품 브랜드에 적용하여 본 결과에서도 적당히 불일치한 브랜드 확장에 더 높은 호감도를 보였다. 마지막으로 브랜드의 명품성과 확장제품 일치성의 상호작용에 따른 브랜드 확장 평가에 미치는 영향에 대해 살펴보았는데 중국소비자들을 대상으로 실증연구한 결과 브랜드의 명품성과 확장제품의 일치성 정도는 브랜드 확장 평가에 상호작용을 나타내었다. 이러한 결과는 중국 소비자들에게 어필하기 위해서는 ‘브랜드의 명품성’과 ‘확장제품의 일치성’이라는 변인을 접목시켜 브랜드 확장 전략을 사용해야 됨을 실증한 결과이다. 따라서 두 변인 간의 연결 고리를 확고히 하고, 브랜드 확장을 통해 중국 소비자들과의 긴밀한 관계를 형성하는 것이 효과적으로 자사의 브랜드 확장 제품을 인식시킬 수 있다는 시사점을 제공해 준다.

하나의 신제품이 시장에 나오려면 많은 시간과 개발비용, 광고 및 판촉비용 등이 든다. 하지만 그러한 노력 끝에 나오게 된 신제품이 시장에서 살아남을 가능성은 10~20% 밖에 되지 않는다고 한다. 이러한 이유로 기업에서는 브랜드확장을 통해 신제품을 출시하는 경우가 많은데, 브랜드확장이란 소비자들의 기존 브랜드에 대한 인지도 및 지식, 선호도 등을 확장브랜드에 이용함으로써 다양한 레버리지 효과를 얻을 수 있다(Kimani, Sood, and Bridge, 1999). 샴푸 또한 우리가 일상생활에서 자주 사용하는 퍼스널 케어 제품으로 무수히 많은 제품이 존재하며 브랜드확장을 통해 제품이 나오는 경우가 많다. 이에 샴푸의 브랜드확장 시 모브랜드와 확장브랜드간의 패키지디자인의 여러 그래픽적 요소들인 네이밍(naming), 브랜드로고(brand logo), 색채(color system), 캐릭터(character), 타이포그래피(typography), 레이아웃(layout), 일러스트레이션(illustration)의 등도 브랜드를 인지하는데 있어 중요한 역할을 하지만 이번 연구를 통해 그래픽적인 요소들에서 한 발 더 나아가 용기의 형태 또한 브랜드를 인지할 수 있다고 보고, 용기라는 것이 단순히 무엇을 담는다는 의미에서 확장되어 브랜드를 인지하는데 있어 중요한 역할을 할 수 있다는 것에 초점을 맞추고자 한다.