If you feel it now you will think it later: The interactive effects of mood over time on brand extension evaluations

While mood has been found to affect brand extension evaluations, the specific mechanisms by which it affects those evaluations remain largely untested. This study suggests that mood-induced differences in cognitive processing style (relational vs. item-specific elaboration) are possible explanations affecting brand extension evaluations. Results of two experiments showed that consumers in a positive (vs. negative) mood engaged in relational (vs. item-specific) elaboration and consequently evaluated brand extensions and brand extension fit more favorably than consumers in a negative mood. The effects were found immediately after exposure (Experiment 1) and after a one-week delay (Experiment 2). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.