lleveraging secondary brand associations
. Secondary brand associations may be quite important for creating strong, favorable, and unique associations or positive responses if existing brand associations or responses are deficient in some way. It can also be an effective way to reinforce existing associations and responses freshly and differently.
when do secondary associations matter most
Consumers might form a mental association from the brand and to all associations
In general, these secondary brand associations are most likely to affect evaluations of a new product when consumers lack either the motivation or the ability to judge product-related concerns.
when consumers either do not care much about or do not feel that they possess the knowledge to choose the appropriate brand, they may be more likely to make brand decisions on the basis of secondary considerations such as what they think, feel, or know about the country from which the product came, the store in which it is sold, or some other characteristi
When consumers lack motivation: They don’t care enough to deeply evaluate the product.
When consumers lack ability: They don’t feel knowledgeable enough to judge the product properly
linking a brand to a well known entity
So, linking a brand to a well-known entity can reinforce positive associations or even reshape how consumers see the brand, depending on the entity’s image.
When a brand is linked to another entity (like a celebrity, a company, a country, or a cause), it can influence the existing perceptions people already have about the brand. This happens because consumers naturally transfer some of the qualities they associate with that entity to the brand.
Consumers already have knowledge, judgments, or feelings about the entity.
When they see a brand linked to that entity, they assume some of those characteristics apply to the brand too.
This can strengthen or change existing brand associations depending on whether the entity is viewed positively or negatively.
three important factors in predicting the extent of leverage from linking the brand to another entity
1) awareness and knowledge of the entity
- Ideally, consumers would be aware of the entity; hold some strong, favorable, and perhaps even unique associations about it; and have positive judgments and feelings about it.
2) meaningfulness of the knowledge of the entity
3) rtrasnferabilty of the knowledge of the entity
The more consumers see the similarity between the entity and the brand, the more likely they will infer similar knowledge about the brand.
Judgments or feelings may transfer more readily than more specific associations, which are likely to seem irrelevant or be too strongly linked to the original entity to transfer.
“Leveraging secondary brand associations” means that marketers can borrow existing associations from another entity. this helps the brand
Create or reinforce a point of difference (POD) – something that makes it stand out from competitors.
Create a point of parity (POP) – something that makes it comparable to competitors on an important attribute.
When linking a brand to another entity, marketers must consider:
Consumer awareness – Do consumers know the entity well enough for the association to be meaningful?
Association fit – Are the qualities of that entity relevant and desirable for the brand?
✅ Commonality Leveraging Strategy
This strategy is used when the entity’s associations match or complement the brand’s desired image.
In other words, the brand leverages something consistent and congruent with its existing associations.
Example:
New Zealand is famous for its high-quality wool and natural environment.
A New Zealand sweater manufacturer can easily emphasize “authentic New Zealand wool” to create strong, favorable, and relevant brand associations (e.g., purity, quality, sustainability).
This helps reinforce the brand’s credibility and point of difference.
🌀 Complementarity Branding Strategy
Sometimes, marketers choose to associate their brand with an entity that represents something new or different from its current image — this is called complementarity.
It’s riskier but can help reshape brand perception or enter new markets.
The challenge: consumers may find the association incongruent or confusing at first.
Success depends on skillful marketing programs that help consumers connect the dots.
Example:
A traditional Swiss watch brand (known for heritage and craftsmanship) partners with a tech company to launch a smart watch.
Initially, consumers might see this as inconsistent — but with effective storytelling and marketing, the brand can blend tradition + innovation, opening a new positioning opportunity.
⚠️ The Risks of Leveraging Secondary Associations
Loss of control:
When a brand borrows associations from another entity, it can’t fully control that entity’s image.
Example: If a brand is endorsed by a celebrity who later faces a scandal, the brand’s image can suffer.
Unwanted associations:
The entity will have many associations — not all are desirable.
Example: A brand partnering with a sports team might benefit from the team’s popularity but also inherit negative associations if the team performs poorly.
Changing perceptions over time:
The public’s perception of the entity may change, and this will affect the brand.
Example: A country once perceived as eco-friendly might later face criticism for environmental issues, undermining a brand’s sustainability claims.
Difficulty managing transfer:
Ensuring that only the right associations transfer from the entity to the brand is complex.
It requires consistent messaging, storytelling, and sometimes repetition for consumers to make the correct mental links.
Three main branding options for a new product
Create a new brand
Adopt or modify an existing brand
Combine an existing and a new brand
create new brand
The company develops an entirely new name, logo, and identity that is separate from its existing brands.
This approach gives the company maximum flexibility to position the product in a new way and avoid any baggage from existing brands.
However, it also means starting from scratch — building awareness, associations, and trust will take time and money.
. Adopt or modify an existing brand
The new product carries the name of an existing brand (corporate brand or product line).
This leverages existing brand equity — consumers’ awareness, trust, and positive associations transfer to the new product.
However, if the product fails, it can damage the reputation of the parent bran
When Samsung launches the Samsung Galaxy C8, it builds on the strong reputation of the Samsung brand (innovation, reliability) and the Galaxy line (cutting-edge smartphones).
This helps consumers feel confident about the new product.
Combine an existing and a new brand
Also called sub-branding or co-branding.
The new product combines a known brand with a new name, blending credibility from the parent brand with a fresh identity.
This allows some differentiation while still leveraging existing brand equity.
Example:
Apple Watch Ultra combines the corporate brand Apple with the new product name Ultra, suggesting both Apple’s reputation and enhanced performance.
corporate or family brand
A corporate or family brand (like Samsung, Apple, or Nestlé) can provide powerful brand equity because it signals trust, quality, and consistency across different products.
However, this strategy isn’t always beneficial:
Some companies deliberately avoid using the corporate brand to create a “smaller,” more authentic, or niche image.
Consumers sometimes perceive large corporations as impersonal or profit-driven, so companies may launch or acquire smaller brands to appear more relatable.
Example:
Unilever owns Ben & Jerry’s, which maintains its image as a socially conscious, independent ice cream brand. Using the Unilever name prominently might weaken that “authentic” small-brand perception.
⚠️ Link Between Brand and Industry Category
Brands are often automatically associated with their industry or category, whether they want to be or not.
This can be helpful when the category is respected or growing.
But it can be harmful if the category faces criticism or decline.
Example:
If consumers associate Coca-Cola with the soft drink industry, and the industry becomes linked to health problems (like obesity), that negative industry image can harm Coca-Cola’s brand even if the company launches healthier options.
Country of origin and other geographic areas
Besides the company that makes the product, the country or geographic location from which it originates may also become linked to the brand and generate secondary association
Choosing brands with strong national ties may reflect a deliberate decision to maximize product utility and communicate self-image, based on what consumers believe about products from those countries
Marketers can establish a geographic or country of origin in dif way
embedding the ,ocation of the brand name like idaho potatoes or combine it with a brand name like baileys irish ice cream, can also make the location the dominant theme in brand advertising
issues with country o
Definition is blurry:
Is it where the brand was founded? Where it’s designed? Where it’s manufactured or assembled?
(Example: Apple is an American brand, but its products are made in China.)
Globalization blurs boundaries:
As brands become multinational, COO becomes less clear and less influential for some consumers.
country of origin at the point of purchase
Because most products must legally display their origin on the label, consumers are reminded of it right before they buy. This can affect brand choice — especially when buyers care about authenticity, quality, or ethical sourcing.
country of origin in domestic markets
In home markets, COO can:
Trigger patriotic feelings (e.g., “Buy American!” campaigns).
Evoke nostalgia or cultural pride — brands that feel part of one’s national identity.
However, patriotic marketing can become generic or overused if every company uses it.
channels of distribution
Menbers of te channels of distribution could directly affect the equity of the brands they sell
Because of associations to product assortment, pricing and credit policy, quality of service, and so on, retailers have their own brand images in consumers’ minds
Retailers create these associations through the products and brands they stock and the means by which they sell them. To more directly shape their images, many retailers aggressively advertise and promote directly to customers.
A consumer may infer certain characteristics about a brand by where it is sold: “If it’s sold by Nordstrom, it must be good quality.” Consumers may perceive the same brand differently depending on whether it is sold in a store viewed as prestigious and exclusive, or in a store designed for bargain shoppers and having more mass appeal.
The transfer of store image associations can be either positive or negative for a brand.
For many high-end brands, a natural growth strategy is to expand the customer base by tapping new channels of distribution. Such strategies can be dangerous, however, depending on how existing customers and retailers react.
The distribution channel is not just a logistics choice — it’s a branding decision.
Where a brand is sold can:
Reinforce or weaken its image.
Attract new customers or alienate existing ones.
Create valuable or damaging associations.
So, marketers must carefully choose where to sell their products to maintain a consistent brand identity.
co branding
Co-branding—also called brand bundling or brand alliances—occurs when two or more existing brands are combined into a joint product or are marketed together in some fashion
Has been around for years
Interest in co-branding as a means of building brand equity has increased in recent years
Technology brands have also begun partnering with their non-technology counterparts in unique ways to appeal to customers→ nike and apple, apple inrceased apple watches appeal to athletes, nike also benefited from apple watch because it reinforces nike with fitness and health
advantages of co branding
The main advantage of co-branding is that a product may be uniquely and convincingly positioned by virtue of the multiple brands in the campaign. Co-branding can create more compelling points-of-difference or points-of-parity for the brand—or both—than otherwise might have been feasible. As a result, it can generate greater sales from the existing target market as well as additional opportunities with new consumers and channels.
Co-branding can reduce the cost of product introduction because it combines two well-known images, accelerating potential adoption. Co-branding also may be a valuable means to learn about consumers and how other companies approach them. In poorly differentiated categories especially, co-branding may be an important means of creating a distinctive product
co branding disadvantages
Disvandtages: The potential disadvantages of co-branding are the risks and lack of control that arise from becoming aligned with another brand in the minds of consumers. Consumer expectations about the level of involvement and commitment with co-brands are likely to be high. Unsatisfactory performance thus could have negative repercussions for both (or all) brands.25 If the brands are very distinct, consumers may be less sure about what each brand represent.26 If the other brand has entered into other co-branding arrangements, there also may be a risk of overexposure that would dilute the transfer of any association. It may also result in distraction and a lack of focus on existing brands
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chapter `145
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sept 2nd- class notes (chapter 1)26
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chapter 2 textbook68
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September 4th- session 3 chapter 232
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chapter 3 - textbook74
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session 4- September 9th36
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hbr article17
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session 5- September 11th5
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chapter 922
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chapter 10 textbook59
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chapter 4 textbook44
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September 18th brand elememts24
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sept 3027
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October 2nd19
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chapter 5 textbook49
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chapter 6 textbook75
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chapter 8 textbook42
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October 721
