Over the decades, brand extension has been a core marketing strategy for a great number of companies. Brand extension enjoys a good reputation for bringing practical advantages to companies whilst it faces disputation at the same time because of a relatively high percentage of failures. Using modified Aaker’s brand equity model as the theoretical framework, the authors undertake a comparative case study to analyze the opportunities and challenges a company might face while using brand extension strategy, particularly in category brand extension: Yamaha Corporation as a successful example, and Virgin Group as a failure one. The analysis mainly focuses on the four elements in the modified Aaker’s brand equity model: brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand associations and perceived quality. The findings show that a company faces challenges when consumers have a more solid loyalty towards the competitor’s brand and when consumers are confused about brand associations. On the contrary, a company acquires opportunities in brand extension as long as a strong brand loyalty and a related connection between the parent brand and the extended brand exist.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1958. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 293).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1961. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-137).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1963. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (carbon copy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-110).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1964. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (carbon copy). Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 158-160).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1960. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 222-225).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1960. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (carbon copy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-142).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1966. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (carbon copy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-126).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1961. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (carbon copy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-104).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1966. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (photocopy). Includes autobiographical sketch of the author. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-138).