Alokparna Basu Monga and Loraine Lau-Gesk
Executive Summary
This research explores how consumers evaluate cobrands that have strong associations to either one (single) or two (dual) brand personality dimensions. Single personality cobrands result when both parent brands have strong traits associated with the same personality dimension. For example, if it is assumed that both Armani and Mercedes Benz have traits mainly associated with sophistication, the offspring cobrand would be dominant on sophistication. In contrast, cobrands with dual personalities derive from two parent brands with traits predominantly associated with different personalities. For example, if it is assumed that the dominant personality dimension of Nike is excitement and that of Cole Haan is sophisticated, their shoe likely exudes traits of both personalities. Drawing on recent theories of the self, the authors propose that consumers who evaluate cobrands when self-complexity is activated prefer dual (versus single) personalities.
The results from Experiment 1 suggest that consumers prefer dual-personality cobrands over single-personality cobrands when self-complexity is activated through self-referencing. Without self-referencing, consumers show no difference in evaluations between single- and dual-personality cobrands. Experiment 2 focuses on two aspects of the self, independence and interdependence, which are known to differ in development and accessibility across individuals. The authors show that activation of a more complex aspect of self leads to more favorable evaluations of dual- than of single-personality cobrands. Experiment 3 demonstrates the conscious nature of this process by using different types of respondents that vary in the relative development and complexity of the independent and interdependent self (Hispanics and Caucasians). Caucasians, who have a more complex independent self, tend to evaluate a sophisticated and excited personality cobrand more favorably when primed on independence, whereas Hispanics, who have a more complex interdependent self, tend to evaluate this cobrand personality combination more favorably when primed on interdependence. This effect disappears under high cognitive load, demonstrating the conscious nature of the process.
This research implies that a greater preference for dual-personality cobrands might also be demonstrated in consumers who are inherently complex (e.g., view themselves as a wife, lawyer, tennis player, and friend) and organize self-knowledge in terms of greater number of self aspects and maintain greater distinctions among self aspects. Such people are more likely to prefer dual-personality cobrands. Finally, marketing communications that make consumers think about a complex aspect of their self would also elicit more favorable preferences for dual-personality cobrands.
Biography
Alokparna Basu Monga is Assistant Professor of Marketing in the College of Business at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is interested in researching the influence of cultural styles of thinking and self-construal on various branding issues. Her research has appeared in Journal of Consumer Research and Journal of Marketing Research.
Loraine Lau-Gesk is Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine. She studies how the self-concept (e.g., multiple selves) influences consumer behavior. She also examines the role of emotions (e.g., mixed emotions) in consumer judgment and decision making. Her research has appeared in Journal of Consumer Research and Journal of Consumer Psychology.
Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. XLIV, No. 3, August 2007
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