Edinburgh Napier University

  Purpose – This paper aims to explore the cognitive processing mechanisms of concepts and categories by examining the methodologies behind how branded-product concepts behave in the second of two co-incident alternative constructs – as a member of a product category, and in some cases, as a category by itself. General proposals for such mechanisms present language as a facilitator in the process. Therefore, linguistic concept assessment
models are proposed to confirm the “brand as category” hypothesis evident in an example brand.
Design/methodology/approach – The study extended conventional semantic differentiation (SD) methodologies; sets of bi-polar measures of concept properties describing the concept “semantic space”, to the brand category. Through iteration, the SD tool is refined and the effects of weighted scales understood.
Findings – The results provide evidence that some brands do act as categories, with clearly identifiable exemplar positions within the brand-category “semantic space”.
Practical implications – This paper offers interesting alternatives to established brand and product development activities concerned with the provision of product features and consumer benefits. Specifically, for many emotive, non-utilitarian products, brand attributes highly influence purchase decision, and therefore brand accuracy and differentiation, measured in the product’s properties, are key – characteristics that can be most saliently
depicted in the “brand as category” alternative.
Originality/value – This paper applies SD to the brand category for the first time. It provides a new methodology with advantages for brand and product managers concerned with the development of products that are not only “good” but also “right” for the brand.