earticle

영어

Brand extensions are effective strategic marketing devices that reduce consumers’ perceived risk of purchasing new products, although dilution of the existing brand’s image often occurs. An important determinant of brand extension success is consumers’ perceived fit between the parent and extension brand, and prior researches have shown that consumers’ perceived fit varies depending on their traits. In particular, prior researches have shown the effect of self-construal on perceived fit of brand extension. However, their results have been somewhat mixed. This research proposed temporal distance as an important factor that could influence the relationship between brand extension and self-construal. Thus, this research investigated the temporal fit effect (the interaction effect of self-construal and temporal distance) on consumers' perceived fit of brand extension. Using a 3 (extension fit) x 2 (self-construal) x 2(temporal distance) ANCOVA on perceived fit and extension evaluation, we found that self-construal and temporal distance had no impact on perceived fit and extension evaluation when extension fit was high or low (all, p>.1). On the other hand, as our predictions, when extension fit was moderate, consumers with independent self had more positive perceived fit (distant-future: 4.75 vs. near-future: 3.76; F = 4.013, p<.05) and extension evaluation (distant-future: 4.99 vs. near-future: 3.56; F = 10.958, p<.05) in the distant-future condition than in the near-future condition. However, consumers with interdependent self had more positive perceived fit (distant-future: 3.59 vs. near-future: 4.82; F=5.991, p<.05) and extension evaluation (distant-future: 3.67 vs. near-future: 5.12; F=11.349, p<.05) in the near-future condition than in the distant-future condition. Thus, the findings of Study 1 suggested that the temporal fit effect is significant only when extension fit is moderate. In addition, we tested the mediate role of perceived fit using the bootstrapping technique with 10,000 resamples. The results showed that perceived fit mediated the effect of extension fit on extension evaluation (a = -.78, b = .63, a x b = -.49, 95% CI: -.6711 ~ -.3308). However, the findings of Study 2 showed that the temporal fit effect on consumers’ perceived fit was significant, even if extension fit was low, when consumers were motivated to process the extension information. Specifically, self-construal and temporal distance had no impact on perceived fit and extension evaluation when consumers had low motivation to precess the extension information (all, p>.1). On the other hand, when consumers were motivated to process the extension information, consumers with independent self had more positive perceived fit (distant-future: 4.85 vs. near-future: 3.47; F = 4.343, p<.05) and extension evaluation (distant-future: 4.74 vs. near-future: 3.55; F = 5.183, p<.05) in the distant-future condition than in the near-future condition. However, consumers with interdependent self had more positive perceived fit (distant-future: 3.20 vs. near-future: 4.79; F = 11.780, p<.05) and extension evaluation (distant-future: 3.62 vs. near-future: 4.78; F = 7.780, p<.05) in the near-future condition than in the distant-future condition. Finally, we proposed implications for effective brand extension strategies.

한국어

브랜드 확장은 신제품 출시가 가지고 있는 위험을 감소시켜 주는 효과적인 마케팅 전략이다. 하지만 브랜드 확장은 모브랜드의 이미지를 희석시킬 수 있다는 부정적인 측면도 함께 존재한다. 이에 선행연구들은 브랜드 확장의 성공에 영향을 주는 가장 중요한 요소로 적합성을 언급하고 있으며, 소비자들의 지각된 적합성은 소비자들의 개인적 성향에 따라 달라질 수 있음을 언급하고 있다. 특히, 선행연구들은 소비자의 자아해석이 브랜드 확장에 대한 지각된 적합성에 영향을 줄 수 있다고 언급하고 있지만 그 결과는 다소 혼재되어 있다. 이에 본 연구는 브랜드 확장과 자아해석의 관계에서 반드시 고려해야 할 요소로 시간적 거리를 제안하였다. 즉, 브랜드 확장 상황에서 소비자의 지각된 적합성에 대한 자아해석과 시간적 거리의 시기적 적합성 효과를 살펴보았다. 연구 결과, 자아해석과 시간적 거리의 시기적 적합성 효과는 확장의 적합성이 중간 수준일 경우에만 나타났다. 확장 적합성이 중간 수준일 때 독립적 자아해석의 소비자들은 가까운 미래보다 먼 미래의 브랜드 확장에서 더 긍정적인 평가를 한 반면, 상호의존적 자아해석의 소비자들은 먼 미래보다 가까운 미래의 브랜드 확장에서 더 긍정적인 평가를 하였다. 하지만 실험 2에서는 비록 확장의 적합성이 낮다 할지라도 소비자들에게 정보를 처리할 동기를 부여해준다면 시기적 적합성 효과가 발생하는 것으로 나타났다.