The Independent Gender Effects of Logo, Product, and Brand

Abstract

Whether brand gender is an obvious consequence of product gender is discussed in this chapter The brand–gender concept could be obsolete if it directly follows the gender of a specific product category. For example, since cars are a “men’s thing,” it could be trivial to argue that a car brand is masculine. However, it has been argued that even within a masculine product category (e.g., cars), brand gender can vary (e.g., the French Citroen DS was perceived as somewhat feminine). In this chapter, fictitious brands were created with different brand names and logos and then assigned to 16 product groups. The logos, product categories, and brand genders were separately assessed and then compared. Both logo and product gender determined brand gender. The results of this study supported the assumption that brands have a gender and that this gender is not predetermined solely by product category. Although product categories contribute to perceived gender by building gender classes, brand genders themselves vary significantly within these classes, such that a brand within a masculine product category may be perceived as more feminine than a brand within a feminine product category. The equities of the fictitious brands were assessed in a later study. The results provide evidence that equity can be directly derived from a brand’s logo gender and product gender. They also emphasize the prominent role gender plays in the brand management process, while showing that all brand aspects contribute to and reinforce brand gender independently. Finally, the results demonstrate the superiority of androgyny.