Communication strategies for brand extensions: Enhancing perceived fit by establishing explanatory links

This research examines the proposition that high perceived fit of a brand e xtension results when consumers can establish explanatory links that connec t the parent brand and the extension. Explanatory links are created when, s alient parent brand associations are seen as relevant in the extension cont ext. The salience and relevance of associations depends, in part, upon the dominant parent brand associations, the brand-to-extension relationship, an d the communication strategy used to introduce the extension. Results indic ated that extensions were poorly rated when the parent brand's dominant ass ociation was inconsistent with the extension's dominant association. Specif ically, brands with dominant attribute-based associations (e.g., physical f eatures) received lower evaluations than brands with dominant non-attribute -based associations (e.g, brand users) when, extended to a category with no physical attributes in common. In this case, evaluations were improved wit h an elaborational communication strategy that provided information about w orrisome extension attributes. On the other hand, brands with dominant non- attribute-based associations received lower evaluations than, brands with d ominant attribute-based associations when extended to a category with physi cal attributes in common. In this case, extension evaluations were improved with a relational communication strategy that raised the salience of the p hysical relationship between the categories.