The Impact of Brand Extensions on Parent Brand Memory Structures and Retrieval Processes

Abstract

In this research, the author examines the impact of brand extensions on consumer memory for parent brand information. The author proposes that such exposure will strengthen parent brand memory structures and facilitate retrieval processes. The author hypothesizes that the impact of extensions will be moderated by parent brand dominance, extension fit, extension number, and product category crowdedness. Two experiments are conducted. The first demonstrates that (1) exposure to brand extensions facilitates the speed with which subjects can categorize parent brands correctly, (2) this result is moderated by parent brand dominance such that nondominant brands benefit more from such exposure, and (3) extension fit moderates this effect for nondominant but not for dominant parent brands. The second study demonstrates that (1) longitudinal exposure to brand extension advertising facilitates parent brand recall but that (2) both recall and recognition are facilitated to a lesser degree than that resulting from exposure to parent brand advertising.