Extending Culturally Symbolic

Brands: A Blessing or a Curse?

Torelli and Ahluwalia JCR(2012)
Ashish Khandelwal
Conceptual Model
Processing Fluency
 Study 3
• Two brands from the alcoholic beverages category with distinct cultural associations were chosen
for the main study:
• Corona (Mexican) and Budweiser (American).

• A second American brand, Coors, was identified as a comparison brand.

• Coors was rated as relatively neutral in American culture symbolism and very low in Mexican
symbolism

• An alcoholic beverage product, tequila, with a high level of cultural symbolism for the Mexican
culture but low with American culture

• An alcoholic beverage product, tequila, with a high level of cultural symbolism for the Mexican
culture

• In addition, an unbranded control condition was included in the design. In this condition,
participants evaluated a tequila extension from an unbranded beer manufacturer (no brand name
provided)