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MAGDA NENYCZ-THIEL
This study provides a theoretically and empirically validated approach to measuring the
strength of color as a brand-identity element. The authors conducted a split sample
test with 880 consumers across three categories: banking, chocolate, and hair care.
Comparing four measurement approaches helped determine the effect of cuing with
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute
the brand versus color (cue direction) and prompting with response sets versus not
Magda. Nenycz-Thiel@
prompting (difficulty of response). The key comparison measures were the number of
marketingscience.info
people who linked the brand with color (fame) and the relative presence of competitor
links (uniqueness). The color-cued, unprompted brand response measure is the
recommended approach.
INTRODUCTION
To measure the brand linkage strength of colors, marketers should provide respondents with
the color and ask which brands are linked to that color, without prompting respondents with
brand names.
Prompting for brand names encourages guessing and provides inflated assessments of brandidentity strength.
In this research, colors are tested, but marketers can use this approach to test the strength of other
brand-identity elements, such as taglines or logos.
DOI: 10.2501/JAR-54-3-313-319
September 2014
In to d a y s c lu tte r e d m e d ia e n v ir o n m e n t, o n e o f t h e k e y
c h a lle n g e s f o r b ra n d s is to s ta n d o u t in t h e m a r k e t p la c e .
Q U E S T IO N S
T h e R o le o f C o lo r
In S h a p in g a B r a n d s I d e n t it y
C o l o r is o n e o f t h e m o s t c o m m o n a n d p r o m i n e n t
f a c e t s o f a b r a n d s i d e n t i t y . I t c a n b e u s e d
a s a b a c k g ro u n d to th e a d v e r tis e m e n t o r o n
c r e a t iv e e le m e n t s w ith in a n a d v e r t is e m e n t .
Brand-Identity Metrics
Septem ber 2 0 1 4
RQ1:
RQ2:
Research Design
RQ5:
METHODOLOGY
RQ4:
September 2014
TABLE 1
Chocolate
PEC
UPBC
PBC
Hair Care
PEC
UPBC
PBC
PEC
UPBC
Fame
PEC
0 .9 2 *
UPBC
0 .9 6 *
0 .9 0 *
UPEC
0 .8 2 *
0 .9 6 *
0 .9 4 *
0 .8 3 *
0 .9 2 *
0 .8 3 *
0 .8 3 *
0.3 3
0 .5 1 *
0.32
0 .9 9 *
0 .9 1 *
0 .7 9 *
0 .7 7 *
0 .7 7 *
Uniqueness
PEC
0 .9 4 *
UPBC
0.61
0.56
UPEC
0 .8 0 *
0 .9 4 *
0 .9 6 *
0.52
0 .9 5 *
0 .9 8 *
0 .9 6 *
0 .7 0 *
0 .6 4 *
0 .6 4 *
0 .9 2 *
0 .9 0 *
0 .8 8 *
0 .8 3 *
0 .8 7 *
*p < 0.05
TABLE 2
UPBC
UPEC
Banking
60
37
58
1 5 **
Chocolate
40
30
32
5 **
Hair Care
25
19
15
Average
42
28*
35
8*
Fame
Uniqueness
Banking
49
46
53
43
Chocolate
24
24
26
Hair Care
18
18
21
17
Average
30
30
34
23
Septem ber 2 0 14
key metrics to assess the strength of brandidentity elements: Fame and uniqueness
capture the two key components needed
Septem ber 20 14
55-68.
143-157.
Heinemann, 1998.
can
A meri
the
du
tity elements.
Centre, 2001.
ceived
the Importance of
P er
(1994): 185-200.
628-640.
REFERENCES
(1992): 101-107.
269-281.
September 2 0 14
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