Guilty through association: brand association transfer to brand alliances

Abstract

PurposeUnderstanding brand associations and their role in the formation of attitude towards brands is necessary for managers to understand fully the dynamics of their brands and how consumers evaluate and make brand choices. This research paper aims to explore the role of brand associations in the formation of an attitude towards a brand alliance.Design/methodology/approachA series of hypothetical alliances using real brands were presented to undergraduate students. Data were gathered from a series of open‐ended free associations for the brands alone and in their alliances, and structured questions regarding quality and likelihood of purchase for the alliance attitude rating.FindingsThe study identified that brand associations, which are positive on an individual basis, can change when transferred to a new product category with a brand partner. Alliances with poor overall attitudes were often linked to associations of attributes of the original product class, whereas alliances with strong attitudes were linked to favourable associations related to the fit between the alliance partners.Originality/valueThe value of this study is that it has identified that consumers can become “locked in” to brand‐specific associations that may be hard to shift in a brand leverage strategy. Therefore, practitioners should factor into their decisions about whether or not to form a brand alliance not only concrete measures, but also the abstract nature of brand associations. This study focused on consumer brands and hypothetical alliances and used students as a sample. Different findings may therefore be found using non‐student samples, services brand or business‐to‐business brands.