Surprise! We changed the logo
Résumé
– This paper aims to investigate the impact of brand attachment and familiarity on perceived congruence between the logo and the brand.
It explores the role of an under-researched factor, surprise, on perceived congruence in the case of a radical logo change.
Design/methodology/approach – A study was conducted with 220 students following a university logo change. Perceived congruence between
the logos (old and new) and the school brand values was measured for two kinds of students, current and future (i.e. applicants).
Findings – Results show the importance of surprise in the acceptance of a logo change. Brand familiarity and brand attachment affect surprise in
opposite ways, such that higher familiarity increases negative surprise, whereas higher attachment enhances positive surprise.
Research limitations/implications – This research used a school logo. Because schools represent a particular type of company, brand attachment
to another type of brand could be different. The current model needs to be tested in different contexts.
Practical implications – Companies must pay special attention when communicating with their most attached consumers. In particular, companies
that aim to change their logos must prepare for the change by relying on communications that can lead to positive surprise.
Originality/value – This study was conducted in a real context of logo change. It is the first study to focus on the link among familiarity, attachment
and surprise when a radical logo change takes place within a company.