Brand Concept Maps: A Method of Capturing Brand Image Confusion

Brand Image Confusion (BIC) could occur in the mind of the consumer when a new brand is launched with a similar brand name to that of an established brand. Brand Concept Mapping (BCM) is used to capture these changes in the established brand perception due to the launch of a new brand: the dilution of attributes and the creation of unattractive associations. The authors used a 2x2 between-subject analyses with 867 students, to study the effect of a new brand with product category similarity (versus dissimilarity) and attribute similarity (versus dissimilarity) on the perception of Xbox. Finally they studied two moderators: brand and category expertise. The results suggest that, except when the new brand has the same category and attributes than the established brand, there is an immediate risk of BIC, which is moderated by the brand expertise. This study presents a new application of BCM and provides a new way of measuring and legally proving BIC.Measuring Individual Brand Image Perception and Brand Reputation using Associative Networks: Theory and Implications for Consumer Good