消费者对我国产品品牌延伸态度研究
摘要
品牌延伸是指将企业成名品牌使用到与原产品的产品门类不同的其它产品上（比如将娃哈哈由酸奶延伸到纯净水或八宝粥），它是企业在推出新产品过程中经常采用的策略，也是品牌资产利用的重要方式。Aaker 和Keller 在1990年做了关于消费者对品牌延伸的评价的开创性研究并构造一个品牌延伸评价模型， 通过回归分析来揭示消费者对延伸产品的态度与原产品的质量、延伸产品和原产品的相关性（即转移性、互补性和替代性）和延伸产品制造难度这三个方面的关系。其后很多国家的学者也用同样的模型做了近似的研究，比较有影响的有新西兰的Sunde 和 Brodie，英国的Bottomley 和 Doyle，以及我国的符国群的研究。可这些研究结果并不完全一致。为了验证此模型在中国的应用，并结合中国企业的实际情况，深入了解我国消费者对我国产品品牌延伸的态度。我们重复了Aaker 和Keller的研究，使用了中国产品品牌作为研究对象，应用了主要变量因素回归模型，并把研究的结果和上述国内外的近似研究进行初步对比分析，并对中国企业应如何进行品牌延伸进行了初步探讨，以便为我国企业制定品牌战略提供依据。
我们得出的主要结论有：
1．除了因Aaker 和Keller的研究未提供足够数据外，我们所选的其它研究都支持这样一个结论：消费者对原产品的质量的看法和原产品与延伸产品的相关性（即转移性、互补性和替代性）这两个主要因素都对消费者对延伸产品的态度产生重要的影响。
2．对于延伸产品制造难度这一因素，除了符国群的研究外，其它研
究均没有发现延伸产品的制造难度和延伸产品评价的明显的联系（标准化回归系数均小于0.1）。我们认为，虽然短期内延伸产品制造难度较低可能不会影响消费者对延伸产品的评价，但从长远考虑，这种消极的影响可能存在，甚至可能会影响品牌的声誉与价值。
3．究竟那一个因素对品牌延伸评价影响最大？我们的研究与Sunde和Brodie的研究均认为原产品的总体质量可能对品牌延伸评价的影响最大 (自变量的标准化回归系数都在0.35以上) 。这从一定意义上说明消费者在进行延伸产品的评价时非常注意原产品质量的好坏。如果原产品质量好，消费者倾向于认为延伸产品的质量也好，反之亦然。但是品牌延伸也不是没有边界的，它在一定程度上还受到延伸产品和原产品相关性的影响。
4．对于延伸产品和原产品相关性的探讨，所有研究都认为转移性、互补性和替代性这三个因素均对延伸产品评价起作用，但是作用大小并不一样。我们的研究认为替代性和转移性几乎同等重要（标准化回归系数均为0.28）而互补性次之(标准化回归系数为0.16),而其他研究认为转移性和互补性列为前两位而替代性排在最后。互补性说明两种产品同时使用满足消费者的一种需求。通常，两个互补品除了在使用的场合能够使消费者建立起相关的联想之外，它们从形状、质地、使用功能和制作工艺上看往往都不具有相关性；而替代品则不然，替代品指的是两种产品中的任何一个都能满足同一种需求。两个替代产品往往从形状、质地和功能和制造工艺都能让人建立起相关联想。
我们将研究的结果与国内企业的实际情况结合起来，对中国的企业如何进行品牌延伸提出如下三点建议：
1．维护和发展原有品牌,提高品牌竞争能力
由于我们的研究结果表明，一个品牌原产品的整体质量与消费者对
延伸产品的态度产生直接影响，所以没有一个被广大消费者认知的高质量的品牌，就很难做到品牌延伸。企业必须在原有品牌得到消费者认可的前提下进行品牌延伸，因此，维护和发展一个成功的品牌对多数中国企业来讲是当务之急。
2．在提高原有品牌质量的同时充分进行品牌延伸
由于中国和西方国家的市场存在很大差异，消费者的消费心理和行为也有很多不同之处, 我们不能盲目照搬国外的研究结论和实践经验。我们的研究也得出这样一个结论：我国消费者有一种倾向，即对品牌忠诚度较高。如果一个品牌在消费者的心中地位很高，那么消费者对其延伸产品的评价也较高。充分的，理性的品牌延伸应该是拥有高质量品牌企业在进行品牌战略规划的首选方案。进行品牌延伸既可以使消费者增加对新产品的认知度，又可以节省不必要的新品牌开发费用，尽量压缩成本，以高质低价赢得消费者。
3．品牌延伸需兼顾相关性
我们的研究结果表明，虽然原产品的总体质量因素对延伸产品评价产生重要的影响，但是我们丝毫不能忽视原产品与延伸产品的相关性。品牌延伸的策略应该是经过深思熟虑的。品牌延伸不应该以既得利益为出发点，而应该考虑企业的长远利益。品牌在相关领域里延伸会大大增加成功的可能性。
Brand extension is defined as applying existing brand to the product of different class or category. (such as Wahaha yogurt extended to purified water or mixed congee). Brand extension is a frequently adopted strategy when a company promotes new products in the market and it is an important approach to make use of brand equity as well. In 1990, Aaker and Keller initiated a systematic research on customer’s evaluation toward brand extension and established a brand extension evaluation model. This model reveals the relationship between customer’s evaluation on the extension product and three factors, namely, the overall quality of original brand, fix between original and extension products and difficulties in manufacturing extension products. Thereafter, many scholars in various countries replicated Aaker and Keller’s research, but no unanimous result is reached. In order to test the model in China with practical market environment, we undertake the same research in China. In our research, we choose Chinese brand as stimuli and use Main Effects’ regress ional model. The result is analyzed and compared with the similar researches. We probe the brand extension possibilities and directions in Chinese market. Our research provides a theoretical guidance for Chinese companies while stipulating their brand strategy..
After the replication of Aaker and Keller’s research, we come to the following conclusion:
a. Except the Aaker and Keller’s research for lack of sufficient data, our and
others’ researches reach an agreement that consumer’s attitudes towards a brand extension mainly depend on both the quality of the parent brand and the degree of fit, measured in terms of transfer, complement and substitute.
b. Regarding the third factor, manufacturing difficulties of extension product, none of the researches except Fu Guoqun’s find the conspicuous connection between brand extension evaluation and this factor (the Beta coefficient is less than 0.1). In our opinion, although easily making product may not affect the customer’s evaluation temporarily, the negative effect will appear in a long run. To a certain extent, it will possibly affect the brand reputation and value.
c. As to which of the three main factors has a greater influence toward the evaluation, our and Sunde & Brodie’s research show that the overall quality of the original product is the key factor with Beta Coefficient above 0.35. It seems to reveal a fact that when customers evaluate the brand extension, the first thing to consider is the quality of the parent product. Given a high quality brand, customers tend to favor its extension product as well, and vise versa. However, brand extension is not without boundary. It is also determined by the fit between two product categories.
d. About the fit between the parent and extension product, all the researches acknowledge the importance of three factors of fit (i.e. transfer, complement and substitute) to the brand extension evaluation, but they are of different magnitude. Our research suggests that transfer and substitute are almost equally important (Beta coefficients are 0.28 both), and the complement takes the third place (Beta coefficient is 0.16). the others stress on transfer and complement with substitute in the last. Complement
means two products satisfy customer’s same demand simultaneously. In common sense, two complement products usually have different shape, quality of material, function and technique. They may trigger the association of each other only in the situation of usage. On the contrary, substitute means both of the two products satisfy the same demand. The association can be easily established because they sometimes share the same shape, quality, function or technique.
Three suggestions on brand extension have been put forward for Chinese companies based on our research result and the practical situation in China.
a. To maintain and develop current brand and to enhance the brand competitiveness.
Our research indicates that Cognition to the original brand ex
我们得出的主要结论有：
1．除了因Aaker 和Keller的研究未提供足够数据外，我们所选的其它研究都支持这样一个结论：消费者对原产品的质量的看法和原产品与延伸产品的相关性（即转移性、互补性和替代性）这两个主要因素都对消费者对延伸产品的态度产生重要的影响。
2．对于延伸产品制造难度这一因素，除了符国群的研究外，其它研
究均没有发现延伸产品的制造难度和延伸产品评价的明显的联系（标准化回归系数均小于0.1）。我们认为，虽然短期内延伸产品制造难度较低可能不会影响消费者对延伸产品的评价，但从长远考虑，这种消极的影响可能存在，甚至可能会影响品牌的声誉与价值。
3．究竟那一个因素对品牌延伸评价影响最大？我们的研究与Sunde和Brodie的研究均认为原产品的总体质量可能对品牌延伸评价的影响最大 (自变量的标准化回归系数都在0.35以上) 。这从一定意义上说明消费者在进行延伸产品的评价时非常注意原产品质量的好坏。如果原产品质量好，消费者倾向于认为延伸产品的质量也好，反之亦然。但是品牌延伸也不是没有边界的，它在一定程度上还受到延伸产品和原产品相关性的影响。
4．对于延伸产品和原产品相关性的探讨，所有研究都认为转移性、互补性和替代性这三个因素均对延伸产品评价起作用，但是作用大小并不一样。我们的研究认为替代性和转移性几乎同等重要（标准化回归系数均为0.28）而互补性次之(标准化回归系数为0.16),而其他研究认为转移性和互补性列为前两位而替代性排在最后。互补性说明两种产品同时使用满足消费者的一种需求。通常，两个互补品除了在使用的场合能够使消费者建立起相关的联想之外，它们从形状、质地、使用功能和制作工艺上看往往都不具有相关性；而替代品则不然，替代品指的是两种产品中的任何一个都能满足同一种需求。两个替代产品往往从形状、质地和功能和制造工艺都能让人建立起相关联想。
我们将研究的结果与国内企业的实际情况结合起来，对中国的企业如何进行品牌延伸提出如下三点建议：
1．维护和发展原有品牌,提高品牌竞争能力
由于我们的研究结果表明，一个品牌原产品的整体质量与消费者对
延伸产品的态度产生直接影响，所以没有一个被广大消费者认知的高质量的品牌，就很难做到品牌延伸。企业必须在原有品牌得到消费者认可的前提下进行品牌延伸，因此，维护和发展一个成功的品牌对多数中国企业来讲是当务之急。
2．在提高原有品牌质量的同时充分进行品牌延伸
由于中国和西方国家的市场存在很大差异，消费者的消费心理和行为也有很多不同之处, 我们不能盲目照搬国外的研究结论和实践经验。我们的研究也得出这样一个结论：我国消费者有一种倾向，即对品牌忠诚度较高。如果一个品牌在消费者的心中地位很高，那么消费者对其延伸产品的评价也较高。充分的，理性的品牌延伸应该是拥有高质量品牌企业在进行品牌战略规划的首选方案。进行品牌延伸既可以使消费者增加对新产品的认知度，又可以节省不必要的新品牌开发费用，尽量压缩成本，以高质低价赢得消费者。
3．品牌延伸需兼顾相关性
我们的研究结果表明，虽然原产品的总体质量因素对延伸产品评价产生重要的影响，但是我们丝毫不能忽视原产品与延伸产品的相关性。品牌延伸的策略应该是经过深思熟虑的。品牌延伸不应该以既得利益为出发点，而应该考虑企业的长远利益。品牌在相关领域里延伸会大大增加成功的可能性。
Brand extension is defined as applying existing brand to the product of different class or category. (such as Wahaha yogurt extended to purified water or mixed congee). Brand extension is a frequently adopted strategy when a company promotes new products in the market and it is an important approach to make use of brand equity as well. In 1990, Aaker and Keller initiated a systematic research on customer’s evaluation toward brand extension and established a brand extension evaluation model. This model reveals the relationship between customer’s evaluation on the extension product and three factors, namely, the overall quality of original brand, fix between original and extension products and difficulties in manufacturing extension products. Thereafter, many scholars in various countries replicated Aaker and Keller’s research, but no unanimous result is reached. In order to test the model in China with practical market environment, we undertake the same research in China. In our research, we choose Chinese brand as stimuli and use Main Effects’ regress ional model. The result is analyzed and compared with the similar researches. We probe the brand extension possibilities and directions in Chinese market. Our research provides a theoretical guidance for Chinese companies while stipulating their brand strategy..
After the replication of Aaker and Keller’s research, we come to the following conclusion:
a. Except the Aaker and Keller’s research for lack of sufficient data, our and
others’ researches reach an agreement that consumer’s attitudes towards a brand extension mainly depend on both the quality of the parent brand and the degree of fit, measured in terms of transfer, complement and substitute.
b. Regarding the third factor, manufacturing difficulties of extension product, none of the researches except Fu Guoqun’s find the conspicuous connection between brand extension evaluation and this factor (the Beta coefficient is less than 0.1). In our opinion, although easily making product may not affect the customer’s evaluation temporarily, the negative effect will appear in a long run. To a certain extent, it will possibly affect the brand reputation and value.
c. As to which of the three main factors has a greater influence toward the evaluation, our and Sunde & Brodie’s research show that the overall quality of the original product is the key factor with Beta Coefficient above 0.35. It seems to reveal a fact that when customers evaluate the brand extension, the first thing to consider is the quality of the parent product. Given a high quality brand, customers tend to favor its extension product as well, and vise versa. However, brand extension is not without boundary. It is also determined by the fit between two product categories.
d. About the fit between the parent and extension product, all the researches acknowledge the importance of three factors of fit (i.e. transfer, complement and substitute) to the brand extension evaluation, but they are of different magnitude. Our research suggests that transfer and substitute are almost equally important (Beta coefficients are 0.28 both), and the complement takes the third place (Beta coefficient is 0.16). the others stress on transfer and complement with substitute in the last. Complement
means two products satisfy customer’s same demand simultaneously. In common sense, two complement products usually have different shape, quality of material, function and technique. They may trigger the association of each other only in the situation of usage. On the contrary, substitute means both of the two products satisfy the same demand. The association can be easily established because they sometimes share the same shape, quality, function or technique.
Three suggestions on brand extension have been put forward for Chinese companies based on our research result and the practical situation in China.
a. To maintain and develop current brand and to enhance the brand competitiveness.
Our research indicates that Cognition to the original brand ex
引文
(1) Aaker, D.A. and Keller, K.L. Consumer evaluation of brand extensions. Journal of Marketing 1990. 54, 27-40
(2) Bhat, S. and Reddy, S. K. The impact of parent brand attribute associations and affect on brand extension evaluation. Journal of Business Research. (2001).53, 111 – 112.
(3) Bottomley, P.A. and Doyle,J.R. The formation of attitudes towards brand extensions: Testing and generalizing Aaker and Keller’s model. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 1996. 13, 365-377
(4) Boush, D. M., and Loken, B. A process-tracing study of brand extension evaluation. Journal of Marketing Research. 1991.28(1), 16– 28.
(5) Czellar, Sandor. Consumer attitude toward brand extensions: an integrative model and research propositions. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 2003. 20, 20-23
(6) Keller, K.L. and Aaker, D.A. The effects of sequential introduction of brand extensions. Journal of Marketing Research. 1992. 29, 35-50
(7) Park, C.W., Milberg, S. and Lawson, R. Evaluation of brand extentions: The role of Product feature similarity and brand
concept consistency. Journal of Consumer Research 1991. 18, 185-193
(8) Sunde, L. and Brodie, R.J. Consumer evaluation of brand extensions: Further empirical evidence. International Journal of Research in Marketing 1993. 10, 47-53
(9) 符国群，约翰·桑德斯. 中、美、新三国消费者对品牌延伸的评价. 经济评论. 1995. 4, 65-68
(10) 符国群. 消费者对品牌延伸的评价: 运用残差中心化方法检验Aaker 和Keller模型. 中国管理科学. 2001. 5, 62-65
(11) 卢泰宏，谢飙. 品牌延伸的评估模型. 中山大学学报. 1997. 6, 7-12
(12) 周志民. 试论品牌延伸的边界. 商业经济与管理. 2001. 7, 13-14
(13) 翁向东著. 本土品牌战略—低成本创建强势大品牌的黄金法则. 浙江人民出版社. 2002. 218-235
(2) Bhat, S. and Reddy, S. K. The impact of parent brand attribute associations and affect on brand extension evaluation. Journal of Business Research. (2001).53, 111 – 112.
(3) Bottomley, P.A. and Doyle,J.R. The formation of attitudes towards brand extensions: Testing and generalizing Aaker and Keller’s model. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 1996. 13, 365-377
(4) Boush, D. M., and Loken, B. A process-tracing study of brand extension evaluation. Journal of Marketing Research. 1991.28(1), 16– 28.
(5) Czellar, Sandor. Consumer attitude toward brand extensions: an integrative model and research propositions. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 2003. 20, 20-23
(6) Keller, K.L. and Aaker, D.A. The effects of sequential introduction of brand extensions. Journal of Marketing Research. 1992. 29, 35-50
(7) Park, C.W., Milberg, S. and Lawson, R. Evaluation of brand extentions: The role of Product feature similarity and brand
concept consistency. Journal of Consumer Research 1991. 18, 185-193
(8) Sunde, L. and Brodie, R.J. Consumer evaluation of brand extensions: Further empirical evidence. International Journal of Research in Marketing 1993. 10, 47-53
(9) 符国群，约翰·桑德斯. 中、美、新三国消费者对品牌延伸的评价. 经济评论. 1995. 4, 65-68
(10) 符国群. 消费者对品牌延伸的评价: 运用残差中心化方法检验Aaker 和Keller模型. 中国管理科学. 2001. 5, 62-65
(11) 卢泰宏，谢飙. 品牌延伸的评估模型. 中山大学学报. 1997. 6, 7-12
(12) 周志民. 试论品牌延伸的边界. 商业经济与管理. 2001. 7, 13-14
(13) 翁向东著. 本土品牌战略—低成本创建强势大品牌的黄金法则. 浙江人民出版社. 2002. 218-235