This paper explores whether consumers cognitive reactions to a branded product remain stable over time. In many created concepts, entity attributes are such that cognitive reactions to them change in a predictable manner by attraction to elements of novelty and typicality in the genre. By analysing products from a luxury vehicle brand, under the framework of a theoretical model of changing 'affective content', this paper explores whether brands behave similarly. Methodology / approach The study draws upon research previously published into the changing nature of art, poetry, architecture and other artistic genres. Text from motoring press articles written contemporarily to the production of products of the brand, over the past 80 years, are analysed for constructs of affective content and the overall values expressed. Findings The results provide evidence that the attributes of some branded products produce cognitive conditions that cycle in a manner that is predictable, with change points corresponding to new product introductions. Practical implications Through understanding cognitive reactions to the branded product, that may be discreetly deconstructable and anticipated, advantageous product attribute development can progress with some certainty. Further, new product launches can be timed to coincide with receptive consumer conditions supported by appropriate attribute emphasis. Originality / value This paper applies a theory, which has been proven to exist in a number of artistic genres, to the brand for the first time. Its contribution is twofold; firstly, to expand developing knowledge into the 2 cognitive processing of the branded product; and secondly, to introduce an informative process to product and brand development activities.
Purpose -This paper aims to explore the cognitive processing mechanisms of concepts and categories by examining the methodologies behind how branded-product concepts behave in the second of two co-incident alternative constructs -as a member of a product category, and in some cases, as a category by itself. General proposals for such mechanisms present language as a facilitator in the process. Therefore, linguistic concept assessment models are proposed to confirm the "brand as category" hypothesis evident in an example brand. Design/methodology/approach -The study extended conventional semantic differentiation (SD) methodologies; sets of bi-polar measures of concept properties describing the concept "semantic space", to the brand category. Through iteration, the SD tool is refined and the effects of weighted scales understood. Findings -The results provide evidence that some brands do act as categories, with clearly identifiable exemplar positions within the brand-category "semantic space". Practical implications -This paper offers interesting alternatives to established brand and product development activities concerned with the provision of product features and consumer benefits. Specifically, for many emotive, non-utilitarian products, brand attributes highly influence purchase decision, and therefore brand accuracy and differentiation, measured in the product's properties, are key -characteristics that can be most saliently depicted in the "brand as category" alternative. Originality/value -This paper applies SD to the brand category for the first time. It provides a new methodology with advantages for brand and product managers concerned with the development of products that are not only "good" but also "right" for the brand.
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