Paper
Journal of Brand Management (2008) 15, 258–271. doi:10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550113; published online 14 August 2007
Upsetting brand extensions: An enquiry into current customers' inclination to spread negative word of mouth
Henrik Sjödin1
Correspondence: Henrik Sjödin, Center for Consumer Marketing, Stockholm School of Economics, Box 6501, 113 83 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel: +46 8 736 93 75; Fax: +46 8 33 94 89; E-mail: henrik.sjodin@hhs.se
1is a PhD candidate at the Center for Consumer Marketing, Stockholm School of Economics. His research interests focus on brand extension and the creation of brand meaning. His previous work appears in, for example, Journal of Brand Management, Journal of Consumer Behaviour and Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising.
Received 21 June 2007; Revised 21 June 2007; Published online 14 August 2007.
Abstract
The opinions of current customers are important when introducing new products through brand extension. This paper deals with the potential for negative word of mouth and empirically investigates the inclination of current customers to criticise a brand extension. The study identifies antecedents to this inclination and highlights the importance of anger. Implications for brand management are offered and encourage broad analysis of extension initiatives that could become targets of negative word of mouth.
Keywords:
brand extension, word of mouth, consumer-to-consumer communication, anger, attributions
