本研究運用品牌聯想的相關理論基礎，以事後觀點評析產品線向下延伸時使用「副品牌」 或「 新 品 牌 」 策 略 之 適 切 性， 及 其 可 能 的 延 伸 風 險。 研 究 方 法 上， 首 次 將 John、 Loken、Kim 與 Monga (2006) 所發展之品牌概念圖 (Brand Concept Maps；BCM) 運用在品 牌延伸決策之探討，解析其品牌聯想內容與結構特性，建構衡量指標，分別是第一層品 牌聯想的迴響性、相互關聯性、次級聯想數目與聯想強度，及跨品牌間跨層級的語意關 聯性比較。本研究以精品業 Prada 推出之「新品牌」Miu Miu，及 Giorgio Armani 所延伸 之「副品牌」Armani Exchange (A/E) 為研究對象，並發展出如何診斷其延伸是否成功的 命題。最後，學術貢獻與策略意涵、研究限制及後續建議，皆有深入討論。

Based on the methodology of Brand Concept Maps (BCM) proposed by John, Loken, Kim, and Monga (2006), for eliciting brand association networks from consumers and aggregating individual maps into a consensus map of the brand, this article aims to identify the reciprocal spillover effects between the parent brand and its downward line extensions and to reexamine under what strategic concerns companies launch new products as line extension or as second brand. The authors have conducted both qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the cognitive structures between consumers’ BCMs to parent brand and to line extension brands. Two cases illustrated these examinations, i.e., the downward line extensions from Prada to MiuMiu and those from Giorgio Armani to Armani Exchange, respectively. The authors have developed some propositions for measuring the performance of downward line extension as well. The prospect academic contributions, implications of global branding strategies, research restrictions and further studies are also discussed.

品牌向下延伸; 品牌概念圖; 品牌聯想

downward line extensions; brand concept maps; brand associations