Kevin Lane Keller’s research while affiliated with Stanford University and other places

A replication in New Zealand by Sunde and Brodie of one portion of the Aaker and Keller 1990 brand extension research supports some of the results of the latter. However, Aaker and Keller's finding that extension evaluations would be a function of (1) the interaction of the core brand perceived quality and extension fit and (2) perceptions of the difficulty of making the extension product does not emerge in the replication. This comment clarifies the quality fit interaction noting that it depends upon the amount of stretch that is involved in the extension. In addition, other possible explanations for the apparent discrepancy such as differences in procedure, stimuli, and culture are discussed.

The author presents a conceptual model of brand equity from the perspective of the individual consumer. Customer-based brand equity is defined as the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand. A brand is said to have positive (negative) customer-based brand equity when consumers react more (less) favorably to an element of the marketing mix for the brand than they do to the same marketing mix element when it is attributed to a fictitiously named or unnamed version of the product or service. Brand knowledge is conceptualized according to an associative network memory model in terms of two components, brand awareness and brand image (i.e., a set of brand associations). Customer-based brand equity occurs when the consumer is familiar with the brand and holds some favorable, strong, and unique brand associations in memory. Issues in building, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity are discussed, as well as areas for future research.

The author presents a conceptual model of brand equity from the perspective of the individual consumer. Customer-based brand equity is defined as the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand. A brand is said to have positive (negative) customer-based brand equity when consumers react more (less) favorably to an element of the marketing mix for the brand than they do to the same marketing mix element when it is attributed to a fictitiously named or unnamed version of the product or service. Brand knowledge is conceptualized according to an associative network memory model in terms of two components, brand awareness and brand image (i. e., a set of brand associations). Customer-based brand equity occurs when the consumer is familiar with the brand and holds some favorable, strong, and unique brand associations in memory. Issues in building, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity are discussed, as well as areas for future research.

A laboratory experiment examines factors affecting evaluations of proposed extensions from a core brand that has or has not already been extended into other product categories. Specifically, the perceived quality of the core brand and the number, success, and similarity of intervening brand extensions, by influencing perceptions of company credibility and product fit, are hypothesized to affect evaluations of proposed new extensions, as well as evaluations of the core brand itself. The findings indicate that evaluations of a proposed extension when there were intervening extensions differed from evaluations when there were no intervening extensions only when there was a significant disparity between the perceived quality of the intervening extension (as judged by its success or failure) and the perceived quality of the core brand. A successful intervening extension increased evaluations of a proposed extension only for an average quality core brand; An unsuccessful intervening extension decreased evaluations of a proposed extension only for a high quality core brand. Though a successful intervening extension also increased evaluations of an average quality core brand, an unsuccessful intervening extension did not decrease core brand evaluations regardless of the quality level of the core brand. The relative similarity of intervening extensions had little differential impact, but multiple intervening extensions hod some different effects than a single intervening extension.

A laboratory experiment examines factors affecting evaluations of proposed extensions from a core brand that has or has not already been extended into other product categories. Specifically, the perceived quality of the core brand and the number, success, and similarity of intervening brand extensions, by influencing perceptions of company credibility and product fit, are hypothesized to affect evaluations of proposed new extensions, as well as evaluations of the core brand itself. The findings indicate that evaluations of a proposed extension when there were intervening extensions differed from evaluations when there were no intervening extensions only when there was a significant disparity between the perceived quality of the intervening extension (as judged by its success or failure) and the perceived quality of the core brand. A successful intervening extension increased evaluations of a proposed extension only for an average quality core brand; an unsuccessful intervening extension decreased evaluations of a proposed extension only for a high quality core brand. Though a successful intervening extension also increased evaluations of an average quality core brand, an unsuccessful intervening extension did not decrease core brand evaluations regardless of the quality level of the core brand. The relative similarity of intervening extensions had little differential impact, but multiple intervening extensions had some different effects than a single intervening extension.

Findings from a laboratory experiment support three research propositions on how processing goals at ad exposure and retrieval cues in the brand decision environment affect recall of communication effects and ad and brand judgments. The first proposition, the "cue compatibility principle," is that compatibility or a match between the type of information stored in memory at encoding and the type of information present as cues at retrieval is necessary for successful recall of communication effects (e.g., cognitive responses). The second proposition is that though retrieval cues can facilitate recall of strongly associated information, they can inhibit recall of other, less strongly associated information in memory. The third proposition is that because processing goals and retrieval cues affect the accessibility and diagnosticity of communication effects, they "frame" brand judgments by influencing (1) the importance or weight placed on different types of communication effects in ad and brand judgments, and therefore (2) the actual favorableness of the judgments reached. The theoretical and managerial implications of these memory factors on advertising effectiveness are discussed.

A laboratory experiment replicates and extends prior research on how competitive advertising and retrieval cues affect consumer memory and evaluations of brands. The number and valence of competing ads, presence of ad retrieval cues, and valence of target ads were manipulated. A high level of competitive advertising varying in valence produced interference effects for recall and evaluations. Ad retrieval cues offset these effects and enhanced recall and evaluations even when there were no competing ads. Interference effects were more pronounced for recall of brand claims; cue effects were more pronounced for recall of cognitive responses and evaluations of the advertised brand. Copyright 1991 by the University of Chicago.

Findings from a laboratory experiment support three research propositions on how processing goals at ad exposure and retrieval cues in the brand decision environment affect recall of communication effects and ad and brand judgments. The first proposition, the “cue compatibility principle,” is that compatibility or a match between the type of information stored in memory at encoding and the type of information present as cues at retrieval is necessary for successful recall of communication effects (e.g., cognitive responses). The second proposition is that though retrieval cues can facilitate recall of strongly associated information, they can inhibit recall of other, less strongly associated information in memory. The third proposition is that because processing goals and retrieval cues affect the accessibility and diagnosticity of communication effects, they “frame” brand judgments by influencing (1) the importance or weight placed on different types of communication effects in ad and brand judgments, and therefore (2) the actual favorableness of the judgments reached. The theoretical and managerial implications of these memory factors on advertising effectiveness are discussed.

Two studies were conducted to obtain insights on how consumers form attitudes toward brand extensions, (i.e., use of an established brand name to enter a new product category). In one study, reactions to 20 brand extension concepts involving six well-known brand names were examined. Attitude toward the extension was higher when (1) there was both a perception of “fit” between the two product classes along one of three dimensions and a perception of high quality for the original brand or (2) the extension was not regarded as too easy to make. A second study examined the effectiveness of different positioning strategies for extensions. The experimental findings show that potentially negative associations can be neutralized more effectively by elaborating on the attributes of the brand extension than by reminding consumers of the positive associations with the original brand.

Two studies were conducted to obtain insights on how consumers form attitudes toward brand extensions, (i. e., use of an established brand name to enter a new product category). In one study, reactions to 20 brand extension concepts involving six well-known brand names were examined. Attitude toward the extension was higher when (1) there was both a perception of "fit" between the two product classes along one of three dimensions and a perception of high quality for the original brand or (2) the extension was not regarded as too easy to make. A second study examined the effectiveness of different positioning strategies for extensions. The experimental findings show that potentially negative associations can be neutralized more effectively by elaborating on the attributes of the brand extension than by reminding consumers of the positive associations with the original brand.