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Making sense of numbers: Effects of alphanumeric brands on consumer inference

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  • Yan, Dengfeng
  • Duclos, Rod

Abstract

This research examines when and how the presence of seemingly innocuous, non-diagnostic numbers in brand names (e.g., 7-UP) impacts consumers' judgments. Building on anchoring theory, our central proposition is that numbers contained in alphanumeric brand names can act as implicit anchors that subsequently bias (either upward or downward) consumers' assessment of a product's price, weight, volume, etc. We qualify this proposition, however, by showing that such anchoring effects occur primarily when (a) the numeric component of a name appears relevant to the judgment at hand and (b) consumers evaluate product attributes superficially (rather than systematically).

Suggested Citation

  • Yan, Dengfeng & Duclos, Rod, 2013. "Making sense of numbers: Effects of alphanumeric brands on consumer inference," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 179-184.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijrema:v:30:y:2013:i:2:p:179-184
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijresmar.2012.09.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Friedman, Monroe, 1985. "The Changing Language of a Consumer Society: Brand Name Usage in Popular American Novels in the Postwar Era," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 11(4), pages 927-938, March.
    2. Ford, Gary T & Smith, Ruth Ann, 1987. "Inferential Beliefs in Consumer Evaluations: An Assessment of Alternative Processing Strategies," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 14(3), pages 363-371, December.
    3. Tina M. Lowrey & L. J. Shrum, 2007. "Phonetic Symbolism and Brand Name Preference," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(3), pages 406-414, June.
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    2. Das, Gopal & Spence, Mark T. & Agarwal, James, 2021. "Social selling cues: The dynamics of posting numbers viewed and bought on customers' purchase intentions," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 994-1016.
    3. Jose A Martínez, 2016. "The magic of ‘great’ linked to product names," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(2), pages 179-196, March.
    4. Timucin Ozcan & Kunter Gunasti, 2019. "How associations between products and numbers in brand names affect consumer attitudes: introducing multi-context numbers," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(2), pages 176-194, March.
    5. Mansur Khamitov & Marina Puzakova, 2022. "Possessive brand names in brand preferences and choice: the role of inferred control," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(5), pages 1032-1051, September.
    6. Kunter Gunasti & Berna Devezer, 2016. "How competitor brand names affect within-brand choices," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 715-727, December.
    7. Koçaş, Cenk & Dogerlioglu-Demir, Kivilcim, 2020. "The 1 in 1,000,000: Context effects of how numbers cue different kinds of incidental environmental anchoring in marketing communications," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 536-544.
    8. Santana, Shelle & Thomas, Manoj & Morwitz, Vicki G., 2020. "The Role of Numbers in the Customer Journey," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 138-154.

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