Can Repeating a Brand Claim Lead to Memory Confusion? The Effects of Claim Similarity and Concurrent Repetition

Abstract

Repetition of brand claims is frequently used to promote the learning of brand-related information. Using dual component models of recognition memory, the author examines whether repetition, in the face of repetitions by similar competitors, might paradoxically increase memory confusion. In Experiment 1, the repetition of similar claims of equally familiar competitor brands produced two opposing effects: It increased memory for accurate claim recognition but also elevated brand claim confusion among advertised competitors. The pattern of results was similar when memory was tested a week after the initial exposure. In Experiment 2, in which participants were required to engage in a task designed to promote the “binding” between a brand and its claim, the memory confusion effects of repetition were significantly reduced. Finally, Experiment 3 replicated and generalized these findings by using more realistic stimuli and procedures. Thus, across three studies, the evidence strongly suggests that the confusion-elevating effects of repetition are a result of weak binding between memory for brand and claims.

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