Exemplars or Beliefs? The Impact of Self-View on the Nature and Relative Influence of Brand Associations

This research examines whether various forms of brand associations—overall brand beliefs (e.g., Sony is high quality) versus exemplars of the brand (e.g., Sony TV)—are differentially accessible for individuals with independent self-views and those with an interdependent self-view. Since independents emphasize the “traitedness” of behavior and tend to focus on attributes of objects, brand beliefs are relatively more accessible than exemplars to them. Conversely, since interdependents focus more on the role of contextual factors and the interrelatedness of events, exemplars are relatively more accessible to them than brand beliefs. Further, examination of the implications of this difference on brand attitudes and brand extension evaluations occurs.