The Effects of Extension Similarity on Evaluations of Brand Extension

The brand extension is considered as an important strategy for enterprises to launch new products. There is no conclusion in the similarity of brand extension on brand evaluations. This study further proposes two important moderators in order to clarify the effects of the similarity of brand extension on brand evaluations. Prior research indicated that the successful of brand extension was influenced by brand personality. Following previous findings, this study further explores the moderating role of brand age, which one factor under the concept of brand personality. In addition to brand age, this study also considers consumers' cognitive age rather than real age as a moderating role, because the effects of cognitive age on consumer behaviors are more important than real age. In order to verify the hypotheses, this study conducted two experiments. Study 1 adopted a 2 (brand extension similarity：similarity vs. dissimilarity) X 2 (brand age：young vs. old) between-subject design. Study 2 used a 2 (brand extension similarity：similarity vs. dissimilarity) X 2 (consumers' cognitive age：young vs. old)between-subject design. Consumers' cognitive age was a measured variable and dependent variable was attitudes toward brand extension. The results revealed that when consumers considered brand as young, they will response more positive evaluations toward brand extension for similar brand extension than for dissimilar brand extension. However, when consumers considered brand as old, brand extension evaluations will not influenced by similarity of brand extension. Moreover, in the condition of old brand, when consumers' cognitive age is young, which inconsistent with brand age, they will response more positive evaluations toward brand extension for similar brand extension than for dissimilar brand extension. However, when consumers' cognitive age is old, which consistent with old brand, brand extension evaluations will not influenced by similarity of brand extension. The findings provide a guideline for brand manager in the strategy of brand extension. A successful brand extension strategy was determined by band age and cognitive age.品牌延伸策略為企業推出新產品時，最常考慮的策略之一，過去品牌延伸的研究中，一開始多是透過產品屬性的相似性來操弄消費者對延伸產品評價的影響，然而，這樣的操弄方式卻沒辦法準確的反應出消費者對品牌延伸的評價。過去研究指出在探討品牌延伸的產品對母品牌評價的影響時，延伸的過程仍會受到品牌個性的影響，而延伸品牌個性的配適度越高會產生較好的評價。其中展現品牌個性的概念也包含了青年的概念。因此，本研究延伸品牌個性中，關於品牌年齡的概念，欲透過不同品牌年齡的選擇以及消費者認知年齡的不同，並以品牌延伸相似性進行操弄，來探討消費者在不同的延伸相似性時，對於品牌延伸評價會如何改變，分為品牌年齡以及認知年齡進行兩個實驗。 實驗一採2 (品牌延伸相似性：相似vs.不相似)* 2(品牌年齡：年輕vs.老)之受測者組間設計，而實驗二為2 (品牌延伸相似性：相似vs.不相似)*2(消費者認知年齡：年輕vs.老)之受測者組間設計，認知年齡乃用衡量方式再分群，品牌延伸評價為依變數。研究結果發現，當消費者知覺品牌年齡較為年輕時，對於不相似之品牌延伸會有較佳之評價，然而當品牌年齡被知覺為年老時，品牌評價則不受延伸策略影響。此外，面對老品牌之品牌延伸策略，若消費者的認知年齡年輕時，表示消費者認知年齡與品牌年齡存在不一致的狀況，此時，消費者對於相似性延伸之品牌評價會較不相似為佳。反之，若消費者的認知年齡年老時，表示消費者認知年齡與品牌年齡一致，此時，消費者對品牌的評價則不受延伸策略的影響。 本研究結果可供品牌經理人在考量品牌延伸策略時之參考，需考量消費者看待品牌年齡，以及目標消費者如何知覺自己的年齡狀態，將有助於提升品牌延伸成功之可能。第一章 緒論................................................................................................................ 1 第二節 研究目的.................................................................................................... 3 第二章 文獻探討........................................................................................................ 4 第一節 基模理論(Schema Theory)與延伸相似性................................................ 4 第二節 品牌延伸評價............................................................................................ 9 第三節 品牌延伸相似性........................................................................................ 6 第四節 品牌年齡.................................................................................................... 7 第五節 認知年齡.................................................................................................... 8 第六節 小結.......................................................................................................... 10 第三章 實驗一.......................................................................................................... 11 第一節 研究架構.................................................................................................. 11 第二節 研究假說.................................................................................................. 12 第三節 實驗設計.................................................................................................. 15 第四節 研究變數概念性定義與衡量.................................................................. 22 第五節 實驗一資料分析...................................................................................... 24 第六節 實驗一之假說驗證.................................................................................. 27 第七節 實驗一結果與討論.................................................................................. 30 第四章 實驗二.......................................................................................................... 31 第一節 研究架構.................................................................................................. 31 第二節 研究假說.................................................................................................. 32 第三節 實驗設計.................................................................................................. 33 第四節 研究變數概念性定義與衡量.................................................................. 34 第五節 實驗二資料分析...................................................................................... 35 第六節 實驗二之假說驗證.................................................................................. 37 第七節 實驗二結果與討論.................................................................................. 40 第五章 研究結論與建議.......................................................................................... 42 第一節 研究結論.................................................................................................. 42 第二節 理論貢獻與管理意涵.............................................................................. 43 第三節 研究限制與未來研究建議...................................................................... 44 參考文獻...................................................................................................................... 46 一、中文部分.......................................................................................................... 46 二、英文部分.......................................................................................................... 46 附錄一 前測一問卷之年輕品牌版本........................................................................ 50 附錄三 前測二問卷之延伸相似產品版本................................................................ 54 附錄四 前測二問卷之延伸不相似產品版本............................................................ 57 附錄五 前測三問卷之年輕品牌以及延伸相似產品版本........................................ 60 附錄六 前測三問卷之老品牌以及延伸不相似產品版本........................................ 63 附錄七 正式問卷實驗一之年輕品牌、延伸相似產品版本.................................... 66 附錄八 正式問卷實驗一之年輕品牌、延伸不相似產品版本................................ 70 附錄九 正式問卷實驗一之老品牌、延伸相似產品版本........................................ 74 附錄十 正式問卷實驗一之老品牌、延伸不相似產品版本.................................... 78 附錄十一 正式問卷實驗二之老品牌、延伸相似產品版本.................................... 82 附錄十二 正式問卷實驗二之老品牌、不相似延伸版本........................................ 8