Research Of Brand Offensive And Defensive Strategy Based On Brand Similarity

Brand attacking and brand defending are the most extreme forms in brand competition, which are also the most acute forms of the competition among equal and main market brands. Although there are many domestic and foreign researches about brand attacking and brand defending, they are concentrated in research of the competitive ways between parent brands. It will be unable to avoid causing enormous losses on parent brand equity if the ways of brand attacking and defending are unsuccessful. This research embarked from the flank attacking and the flank defending, proposed a new strategy which competing with the rival brand by promoted a flank brand which is similar to the rival brand , attempted to participate in the competition with the rival brands effectively and to minimize the harm of the parent brand equity.Through previous studies about brand similarity, we have done a qualitative analysis and a comprehensive measure of the brand similarity. Under the brand first-mover advantage theory, classification theory and cognitive theory, we speculated a similar flanking brand has different impacts on consumer's brand preferences of the target brand under different scenes of parent brand and different market environments. So in this paper, we proposed a research model and the research hypothesis. Then, we tested the hypothesis through experiments and data analysis. Finally, we proposed the conclusion of the study and the management proposals through the results of experimental study.The research found that, whether the parent brand is similar or not, the strategy to launch a sub-brand which is similar to the rival brand can effectively reduce the consumer preference about the rival brand in both offensive and defensive market environment. The study also found that the strategy to launch a sub-brand which is similar to rival brand on the scenario which the parent brand is similar are more effective than the strategy to launch a sub-brand which is similar to rival brand on the scenario which the parent brand is not similar . And when the parent brand is similar, the strategy to launch a sub-brand which is similar to rival brand on defensive market environment are more effective than the strategy to launch a sub-brand which is similar to rival brand on the offensive market environment , But it is not proved when the parent brand is not similar.In the empirical study, we found that different attribute of brand similarity have effects on brand preference changes of consumers in different weights. The greatest is physical similarity, and the smallest is brand image similarity. In mobile phone and white wine, the effect of the beneficial similarity attribute and usage-based similarity attribute on brand preference changes of consumers is not compatible. This result indicated that the effect of the attribute of brand similarity on brand preference changes of consumers is different in different product category.