The Brand Anchoring Effect: A Judgment Bias Resulting from Brand Awareness and Temporary Accessibility

Following the Selective Activation, Reconstruction, and Anchoring (SARA) and consumer-based brand equity models, high awareness brands are expected to serve as anchors for forming impressions of co-branded entities. Comparing the brand personality profiles of fictitious brand alliances with high and low awareness brands, the brand anchoring effect is found in Studies 1 and 2. Moreover, Study 3 shows that the effect generalizes to specific brand characteristics and results from making brand-related information more available. Future research on brand awareness and on the brand anchoring effect is discussed. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.