12.2 #Branding

Understanding the concept of brand coolness is crucial for driving consumer purchases, yet the strategies marketers can use to achieve this remain unclear. This research seeks to uncover the mechanisms behind the creation and maintenance of cool brands. By employing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, this paper develops a new scale to measure brand coolness. The study involved conducting in-depth interviews and a formative scale development process. These interviews revealed five primary factors contributing to brand coolness: Authenticity, Brand Associations, Originality, Storytelling, and Accessibility. Utilizing these insights, a robust formative scale for brand coolness was established, which correlates with existing reflective measures of cool. This new scale not only influences consumer perceptions but also captures previously unidentified dimensions of coolness. 

Prior research on consumer response to color versus black and white imagery shows conflicting results when employed to advertise luxury goods. We resolve the issue by distinguishing between luxury good types. Prior research examines a certain type - clothing, leather goods, watches - that are seen on or with the person and are extensions of the self. We extend this research to a heretofore neglected type, those that play a social role, connecting the individual to others. Champagne is an example. Respondents were exposed to one of two faux ads for Veuve Clicquot champagne, one full color and the other black and white, and asked to rate the ad, the brand itself, and its packaging. Results indicate that color is the stronger tool for advertising social luxury goods, whereas black and white is the stronger tool for advertising self-expressive luxury goods. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Consumers are increasingly opting for vegan alternatives to avoid animal cruelty and potential health risks. However, it is uncertain whether their choices are primarily motivated by animal welfare or health concerns. This research uses an experimental approach to investigate how regulatory focus influences consumer attitudes toward vegan product advertisements. The study finds that promotion-focused individuals who seek positive outcomes respond more favorably to animal welfare claims. In contrast, prevention-focused individuals who aim to avoid negative consequences do not significantly affect their attitudes toward the ads, regardless of the claim. These findings provide valuable insights for crafting targeted marketing strategies to enhance the appeal of vegan products and promote sustainable consumption behaviors. 

Whether to engage in advertising of brand activism is a decision that often confronts large corporations who anticipate the need to respond to their stakeholders' expectations, yet research on how brands can effectively employ brand activism remains understudied. This research employed a 2(Black Lives Matter vs. Stop Asian American and Pacific Islander Hate) x 2(text only vs. text with picture carousel) x 2(music only vs. music with voiceover) between-subjects experimental design via a lab-based experiment (N=332) and an online experiment (N=406). Results show that the BLM ads garnered less favorable ratings of perceived consumer-brand identification, brand reputation and brand attitudes than the Stop AAPI Hate ads. Furthermore, ads using text with picture carousel were most successful in eliciting positive branding outcomes in Study 1. Findings also confirmed the positive effect of advertisement induced narrative transportation on brand attitudes is mediated by consumer-brand identification and brand reputation.

The current study adopted a mixed methods approach, where participants' eye movements associated with browsing a mock brand website were tracked by a biometric system, in conjunction with a lab experiment. Study findings confirmed that the effect of prior product involvement on purchase intention was successively mediated by user interface flow and website advertising value, controlling for persuasion knowledge and visual attention. Results contribute to new theoretical expansions to explain how consumers evaluate brand websites.