Should Cookie Monster adopt a healthy lifestyle or continue to indulge? Insights into brand icons

Altaf Merchant, Kathryn A. LaTour, John B. Ford*, Michael S. LaTour

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Developing a brand icon has been a way for marketers to humanize and forge relationships with consumers. Icon development takes time. During this time, marketers have to face how much they stay true and consistent with their icons and how much they allow their icons to adapt to cultural changes in the marketplace. Little is known about how consumers respond to changing icons, and even less is known about whether there may be certain consumer groups that are more or less receptive to such changes. Four experiments and qualitative interviews were undertaken to gain insights into these issues. People who have a low need to belong were most impacted by changes in the icon, with effects most evident among consumers with a fearful attachment style. Feelings of rejection were found to amplify these effects. These findings have implications both for theory and practice.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)64-78
Number of pages15
JournalPsychology and Marketing
Volume35
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2018

Keywords

  • anthropomorphism
  • attachment style
  • belongingness
  • charity appeals
  • nonprofits
  • nostalgia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Psychology
  • Marketing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Should Cookie Monster adopt a healthy lifestyle or continue to indulge? Insights into brand icons'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this