Article ID: | iaor20061158 |
Country: | United States |
Volume: | 24 |
Issue: | 2 |
Start Page Number: | 194 |
End Page Number: | 205 |
Publication Date: | Mar 2005 |
Journal: | Marketing Science |
Authors: | Leclerc France, Hsee Christopher K., Nunes Joseph C. |
Keywords: | brand choice |
This research examines whether a low-ranking member in a high-status category (e.g., low-end model of a high-end brand) or a high-ranking member in a low-status category (e.g., high-end model of a low-end brand) is favored, holding the objective qualities of the items constant. Brand equity research suggests that the quality of a brand is more important than the ranking of a product within a brand. Our research documents a robust ranking effect – whereby a high-ranking product in a low-status category is favored over a low-ranking product in a high-status category even when information on competing categories is made available. We explain this effect in terms of narrow focusing and evaluability, and we identify boundary conditions of the effect.