Effects of pronoun brand name perspective and positioning on brand attitude
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative effectiveness of the second-person pronoun perspective within a brand name (as in “You”Tube) and the first-person pronoun perspective (as in “i”Phone).
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on prior research on self-concept, general pronoun usage and the fit between branding tactics and positioning, it is predicted that “you” will garner more favorable consumer responses when the brand is positioned on social benefits, while “I” will garner more favorable responses when the brand is positioned on personal benefits. These predictions are tested in two experiments with US consumers.
Findings
When the brand in the experiment was positioned for its social benefits, “you” elicited more favorable brand attitudes than “I”, while the opposite was true when the brand was positioned for its personal benefits. This effect tends to be stronger among those with higher self-esteem.
Practical implications
Managers can make more informed pronoun brand name selections based on their brand’s intended positioning – if it is social, “you” should be used; if it is personal, “I” should be used.
Originality/value
The influence of pronouns in brand names is still largely unexplored. This research is the first to examine “you” brand names and also sheds light on how another marketing variable – positioning – impacts consumer preference for pronoun brand names. Finally, this work shows that such effects are more pronounced for those with higher self-esteem.
Keywords
Citation
Kachersky, L. and Carnevale, M. (2015), "Effects of pronoun brand name perspective and positioning on brand attitude", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 157-164. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-02-2014-0495
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited