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The authors report two studios investigating the effectiveness of a composite brand in a brand extension context. In composite brand extension, a combination of two existing brand names in different positions as header and modifier is used as the brand name for a new product (e.g., Slim- Fast chocolate cakemix by Godiva). The results of both studies reveal that by combining two brands with complementary attribute levels, a composite brand extension appears to have a better attribute profile than a direct extension of the header brand (Study 1) and has a better attribute profile when it consists of two complementary brands than when it consists of two highly favorable but not complementary brands (Study 2). The improved attribute profile seems to enhance a composite's effectiveness in influencing consumer choice and preference (Study 2). In addition, the positions of the constituent brand names in the composite brand name are found to be important in the formation of the composite's attribute profile and its feedback effects on the constituent brands. A composite brand extension has different attribute profiles and feedback effects, depending on the positions of the constituent brand names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the substitution in use approach to product-market structure and cognitive accounts of product category structures is investigated in terms of the role of product usage context. Studies 1 and 2 show that distinctive usages predict similarity judgments, whereas usage versatility predicts prototypically. The results of a third study suggest that individual usage contexts are associated with subcategories that involve restructuring of the overall category and, as such, guide context-specific product recall. Conceptual and managerial implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiattribute research in marketing seeks an understanding of the structure of customer decisions with respect to the market offerings of a firm and its competitors. Through such understanding the firm tries to evaluate and/or design its offerings for greater customer satisfaction and profitability. Recent applications of such research to new product evaluation and to concept generation are reviewed and critiqued, relevant methodologies are contrasted, and the import of this research trust for management is assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incremental search heuristics do not identify the optimal solution to the media choice problem. With media discounts, such heuristics may not provide even a good approximation. This article discusses the reasons for this situation and considers several supplementary heuristics for improving the quality of solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an abstract on the LINMAP, the Linear Programming Techniques for the Multidimensional Analysis Preferences, developed by Allan D. Shocker of the University of Pittsburgh and V. Srinivasan of Stanford University in the U.S. The basic inputs are stimuli coordinates in a prespecified attribute space and the ordinal preference judgments of one or more judges. Virtually all input data are also output wherein preference judgments are summarized for multiple judgments. The computer program uses the Fortran IV programming language.