Rebranding Mergers: How attitudes influence consumer choices?

• Autor(es): César - Machado, Joana ; Lencastre, Paulo de ; Vacas-de-Carvalho, Leonor ; Costa, Patrício
• Data: 2012
• Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10174/7733
• Origem: Repositório Científico da Universidade de Évora
• Assunto(s): brand; brand identity signs; brand attitude; mergers and acquisitions; corporate brand name; logo changes
• Tipo de Documento: Artigo
• Idioma: Inglês

Descrição

In the context of a merger or an acquisition, the management of corporate identity – in particular of corporate brand names and logos – assumes a critical role. The purpose of this article is to provide a better understanding of the corporate brand redeployment decision, considering the reactions of one important stakeholder group – consumers. This study develops a typology of the various corporate identity structures that could be assumed in the context of a brand merger, and analyses how consumers' attitudes towards the corporate brands influences their preferences regarding the different branding strategies. Results suggest that the preference for a monolithic redeployment strategy, suggested in previous studies, is only clearly supported when one of the partners in the merger is a weak partner. When the merger involves two familiar brands, there is a tendency among consumers to combine elements of both brands' identity. Finally, it is concluded that the affective and behavioural dimension of attitude towards the brand has a significant influence on consumers' preferences.