Modeling the Role of Brand Alliances in the Assimilation of Product Evaluations

Abstract

A model of context effects in product evaluations is tested in which brand alliances play a key role. This three-part study examined the extent to which evaluations of two restaurants are assimilated by virtue of their dual-branding strategic linkage. Key factors in the assimilation process are thought to be the ambiguity of the target restaurant's description and the degree of linkage between the target and the context as operationally defined by varying the shared features of the dual brands. Results support a model in which inferences about the qualities of an incompletely described target product arise from the assumed similarity between target and context, which is directly related to the degree of linkage between the two brands. These inferences include both specific attribute values and global evaluations of quality.Brand alliances are becoming more frequent as marketers try to capitalize on the complementary features of different brands. A key issue is how the impressions of one brand are transferred to or affected by the impressions of other brands to which it is strategically linked. Some limited research has been done on this problem, but there are significant gaps in developing conceptual models for the transfer process. In this article, we describe a model, methods, and some new results concerning the transfer of affect from one brand to another in a dual-branding alliance where two restaurants share the same facilities.Exposure to prior stimuli can influence the evaluation of subsequent stimuli. This simple principle has formed the cornerstone of a great deal of research and theory development in cognitive psychology; social psychology; and, more recently, consumer psychology. The key issue, of course, is under what conditions are particular forms of context effects observed. Helson's (1964) adaptation level theory, Parducci's (1965) range frequency theory, and so-Requests for reprints should be sent to Irwin P. Levin,

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“…If the high quality partners come from different product categories, the quality perception of unknown brand will be greatly enhanced. Levin and Levin (2000) in their study, "Modeling the role of brand alliances in the assimilation of product evaluations" find that when two brands are linked through a dual-branding arrangement and both brands are described by the same set of attributes, then the effect of dual branding is to reduce or eliminate contrast effects. When two brands are linked through a dual-branding arrangement and the target brand is less well specified than the context brand, then the effect of dual branding is to increase assimilation effects.…”