Exploring the antecedents of brand extension success: A research on an athletic footwear brand

Abstract

Brand extension strategy which means using the current brand name when offering new products for the market, has become a frequently used branding strategy for firms since 1980s. Brand extension strategy is an appealing strategy for many firms since it helps reducing costs of creating a new brand and benefiting from the parent brand's brand equity. Thus, it is crucial for companies to understand the antecedents of brand extension success especially in athletic footwear segment that targets mostly young consumers.The aim of this study is to explore the relationships among the antecedents of brand extension success from the generation Y cohort's perspective on an athletic footwear brand and to propose marketing strategies. The proposed model aims to examine the relationships among success factors such as "parent brand's perceived quality", "perceived fit between parent brand and extension brand" and "perceived risk". For testing the proposed model in this study, a brand existing in the athletic footwear sector was determined. It is a very popular and favorable brand especially among the generation Y cohort. A hypothetical product was chosen for those consumers and collected data is analyzed by means of structural equation modelling. The sample is composed of university students in Bursa. This study is expected to make academic and practical contributions to the existing branding literature and the companies in athletic footwear industry, Turkey in particular.