Consumer Response to Logo Shape Redesign: The Influence of Brand Commitment

This dissertation examines consumer response to one aspect of logo redesign: shape. Relatively little research has focused exclusively on logos and even less attention has been given to logo redesign. Reaction to change in logo shape is hypothesized to be a function of the degree of change (from incremental to considerable) and the level of commitment (from strong to weak) a consumer has towards the underlying brand. Consumers who are strongly committed to a brand will more negatively evaluate redesigned logos and have more negative attitude toward the brand. Conversely, consumers less committed to a brand will more positively evaluate redesigned logos and have more positive attitude toward the brand. Four experimental studies are discussed. The first three studies used athletic shoe logos as stimuli. The fourth study extended generalizability by replicating the effects of Study Three with bottled water brands and considered a number of mediating variables. Results fully support the concept of brand commitment moderating logo evaluation and change in brand attitude. The mediating variables were found to not influence the main effect of brand commitment on logo evaluation and change in brand attitude.