Understanding brand age is potentially critical to a brand management program. When a brand begins to be perceived as older, even with the positive attributes aligned with the idea of traditional and established brands, consumers may begin to move away from the brand. This study defines the concepts of both perceived and preferred brand age. We look at how perceived brand age fits in with our current perspective on branding and can enrich our understanding of consumers’ personal preferences. As there is very little published work in the area of brand age three distinct set of studies were conducted in order to fully understand the meaning of brand age, explicate the construct and understand the antecedents and consequences. The first study involved a group of exploratory studies. The purpose of this initial group of conceptual studies was to explore current consumer understanding and interpretation of the concept of perceived brand age. These studies were used to inform and direct our subsequent research. Our second set of studies explicated the brand age concept. In the first project, we used a Likert scale designed to understand what cues consumers use to understand the age of a brand. The second project was a semantic differential research study to examine what specific characteristics are associated with younger brands, older brands or are neutral between the two. We also develop and test a model of consumer choice through the exploration of the relationship between perceived brand age and preferred brand age.

This three-essay dissertation extends previous research on social influence and examines social influence’s impact on consumption, particularly in the contexts of collective goals and brand preferences. Essay 1 focuses on collective marketing campaigns, which are not shared equally by all customers. Two studies demonstrate that the framing of collective progress in such campaigns can broaden participation by highlighting the large area of progress toward the goal, emphasizing progress achieved for campaigns in their late stages and progress remaining in their early stages. Essay 2 examines the effects of brand age on consumer preferences and choices. Six studies demonstrate that consumers’ preferences for younger brands increase with perceptions of product category innovativeness or the extent to which the product category is perceived to have evolved and is likely to evolve in the future. Findings reveal that younger (vs. established) brands are likely to be preferred when perceptions of product category innovativeness are high (vs. low). Essay 3 examines the effects of perceptions of product category innovativeness and consumer traits, such as novelty seeking and need for uniqueness, on consumers’ preference for young versus established brands. This dissertation provides theoretical and managerial contributions. / Business Administration/Marketing

Cette thèse étudie la perception de la marque vieille par les consommateurs selon une perspective anthropomorphique de la marque (perception et stéréotypes des personnes âgées). La marque perçue vieille est appréhendée en fonction des caractéristiques qui lui sont associées. Elle est multidimensionnelle et ambivalente (positive ou négative). Cinq études sont menées dans cette recherche. Une étude qualitative exploratoire (étude 1), nous conceptualisons et définissons la marque perçue vieillie, identifions ses dimensions, ses conséquences et ses modérateurs. Trois études quantitatives (études 2, 3 et 4), nous construisons un outil de mesure composé de quatre dimensions : expertise, déclin, intemporalité et entretien. Une étude quantitative (étude 5), nous testons un modèle intégrateur et les hypothèses de la recherche. Les dimensions de la marque perçue vieille ont des effets significatifs sur la nostalgie du consommateur, l’attachement à la marque et la confiance dans la marque. Ces relations sont modérées par l’orientation temporelle vers le passé et l’âge du consommateur, ainsi que le type de vieillissement de la marque (positif versus négatif) / This doctoral dissertation examines the perception of the old brand by consumers from an anthropomorphic perspective of the brand (perception and stereotypes of the elderly). The brand perceived as old is apprehended according to the characteristics associated with it. It is multidimensional and ambivalent (positive or negative). Five studies are conducted in this research. In study 1 which is an exploratory qualitative study (study 1), we conceptualized and defined brand perceived oldness, identified its dimensions, its consequences and moderators. Following that, three quantitative studies (studies 2, 3 and 4) were carried out in which we built a measurement scale consisting of four dimensions: expertise, decline, timelessness and maintenance. Finally, a quantitative study (study 5) was executed to test an integrative model and research hypothesis. The brand perceived oldness dimensions have significant effects on consumer’s nostalgia, brand attachment, and brand trust. These relationships are moderated by consumer’ temporal orientation towards the past and age, and by the type of brand oldness (positive versus negative)