How Far Can a Brand Stretch? Understanding the Role of Self-Construal

Abstract

A brand's stretchability is an important avenue for growth and new product introductions. This research examines the role of an individual-difference variable (self-construal) in enhancing a brand's stretchability potential. It is postulated that an interdependent self-construal leads to a superior ability to uncover relationships among stimuli (e.g., an extension and its parent brand) and thus is likely to enhance the perceived fit of an extension and the likelihood of its acceptance. However, these beneficial effects are likely to emerge only under conditions in which the interdependent consumer is motivated to elaborate extensively on the extension information. Five experiments test the underlying mechanism, its implications for different levels of brand stretch (varying from close to far), and the marketing strategy implications of the proposed theoretical framework.