The effect of brand name congruity and product category on consumers' attitudes toward brand names

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The purpose of this research paper is to examine the attitudes that are associated with brand name congruity and product categories. More specifically, attitudes will be evaluated according to brand names that are congruent, moderately incongruent, and extremely incongruent from both functional and symbolic product categories. A list of 50 fictitious brand names of perfume (symbolic product) and detergent (functional product) with alternative levels of congruity was created for the purpose of this study. 38 participants completed a questionnaire to rate how much the names reminded them of a product category and how much they like them as members of that category. Results showed that for detergent, name congruity and liking are positively correlated. The more congruent the names the more they are liked. For perfume, the relationship is more complicated. Congruity is not a guarantee for liking, even moderate. Names, to be liked for perfume, have not only to be congruent with perfume but also incongruent with detergent. Implications of the findings on future naming strategy as well as future research directions are discussed.