Zusammenfassung:
Brand extension strategies represent one of the most frequently used brand strategies for launching new products. The way consumers accept brand extensions is an important determinant of brand extensions success. Therefore, this study proposes an integrating model that analyses how variables related to the brand, the extension and the consumers' personality influence extension attitude. In order to validate this model data were collected from a sample of 227 undergraduate students and structural equation analysis was applied to test the causal relationships among the variables considered in the model. The results show that brand equity has a positive influence on brand loyalty, which in turns influences on brand extension attitude. Furthermore, coherence between extension and brand image (image fit) and the perceived similarity between the new product and the existing ones (category fit) are relevant to the acceptance of brand extensions.