Reassessing brand versus concept associations: comparing free association task and sensory cue-based task

Brand associations can trigger memories of people, places, and emotions that are desirable and as such, creating and maintaining a unique set of brand associations in the consumers' mind space takes on increasing importance in today's interactive marketing environment. This article explores an important variation in the nature and dynamics of brand associations based on two distinct approaches: free association task versus sensory cue-based task. Studies 1a and 2a employed the sensory cue-based task (related to the sound, taste, touch, smell, and sight) and studies 1b and 2b utilised the traditional free association approach to extract participants' brand associations pertaining to a financial service brand and the concept associations related to financial security. Findings indicate that the free association task evokes tangible associations and conversely, the sensory cue-based task evokes intangible associations. The article contributes to branding theory, marketing communication literature, and offers managerial insights.