Cognitive representations of brands - car brands and their brand associations

Abstract

When analyzing brand equity it is of utmost importance to be aware of the associations that a particular brand evokes in the consumer’s mind. The present paper demonstrates how mental associations can help to map the mental image of specific brands. After a brief theoretical introduction the paper evaluates the mental representation of 12 car brands drawing on data collected from 200 Hungarian students. The results reveal some general features of the mental associations of car segments as well as differences in associations which can be attributed to gender and cultural background.