Assessing the Spillover Effects of Brand Alliances on Consumer Brand Attitudes
Presentation of the article by Bernard L. Simonin & Julie A. Ruth (1998).
This presentation looks at the effects of brand alliances on the individual brands.
H1: more favorably evaluated alliances will yield to more favorable subsequent evaluations of partner brands (than less favorable ones)When brand extensions are perceived positively, the process of “brand enhancement” takes place (Loken and Roedder John, 1993)
Attitudes toward each participating brand may change when consumers process information about collaborative relationships or experience the product of an alliance.Preexisting attitudes toward the brand will be related highly to postexposure attitudes toward the same brand (attitudes are stable).
H3: Prior attitudes towards the brand are related positively to attitudes toward the brand allianceH4: Product fit is related positively to attitudes towards the brand alliance.H5: Brand fit is related positively to attitudes toward the brand.
H6a: For lower (higher) levels of brand familiarity, the effect of the brand alliance on post-attitudes will be larger (smaller).H6b: For lower (higher) levels of brand familiarity, the effect of pre- on post-attitudes will be smaller (larger).H6c: When lower (higher) brand familiarity is present, the effect of brand fit on the brand alliance will be smaller (larger).H6d: When lower (higher) brand familiarity is present, the effect of brand fit on the brand alliance will be smaller(larger).H6a: the spillover effect of the alliance on a low-familiarity brand will be relatively strong.
H7a: Brands less (more) familiar than their partners will contribute less (more) than their partners to the brand allianceH7b: Brands less (more) familiar than their partners will experience stronger (weaker) spillover effects than their partners.H8a: Highly familiar brands will contribute equally to the brand alliance.H8b: Highly familiar brands will experience equal spillover effects.
Assigned randomlyBooklet with materials
Assigned randomlyBooklet with materialsBrand familiarityFiller materials (15 min)Evaluation of alliance (attitudes toward the brand alliance, perceptions of brand & product fit)BreakEvaluation of brands in the alliance (post-evaluation)Thanks & pay
Car brand familiarity was uniformly high (MCars = 6.56, standard deviation=.77), and chip brand familiarity was variable (MChip=3.85, standard deviation=2.21)
= they are different constructs
Brand alliances do matterBrand alliances are important in attitudinal shifts resulting from partner brands
H6a: not supportedThe contribution of the brand alliance on the chip brand is not the same whether the chip brand was relatively familiar or notH6b & H6c are supportedThe direct effect of the brand alliance on the partner brands is not affected by a given partner’s familiarity.
H6a: not supportedThe contribution of the brand alliance on the chip brand is not the same whether the chip brand was relatively familiar or notH6b & H6c are supportedThe direct effect of the brand alliance on the partner brands is not affected by a given partner’s familiarity.
H6a: not supportedThe contribution of the brand alliance on the chip brand is not the same whether the chip brand was relatively familiar or notH6b & H6c are supportedThe direct effect of the brand alliance on the partner brands is not affected by a given partner’s familiarity.
H6a: not supportedThe contribution of the brand alliance on the chip brand is not the same whether the chip brand was relatively familiar or notH6b & H6c are supportedThe direct effect of the brand alliance on the partner brands is not affected by a given partner’s familiarity.
7a is supported:Familiar brands have a stronger contribution than the unfamiliar brands on the attitudes toward the allianceH8a was significant: both partners exert relatively equal influences on the alliance.7b supported: asymmetry between familiar and unfamiliar brands in terms of brand alliance attitude.8b: chi square – not statistically significant; SUPPORTEDUnfamiliar compared with familiar brands receive greater spillover effects from the brand alliance.The effect of a relatively unfamiliar brand on the brand alliance evaluation is smaller than the effect of its familiar partner.
The study was replicated for two distinct but also prevalent brand alliance contexts: Northwest Airlines partnering with Visa Card and Disney teaming up with a major retailer.For the first study, the stimulus was a print advertisement showcasing the merit of a VISA Card linked to the Northwest Airlines frequent flyer program. Both brands were highly familiar.