Cross-gender brand extensions: Effects of gender of the brand, gender of consumer, and product type on evaluation of cross-gender extensions

Abstract

Many brands can possess strong gender identity: Marlboro for masculine images and Channel for feminine images. Over the years, there has been a growing trend of cross-gender extensions among brands, partly due to the unisex trend in consumer goods. This study examines consumers' evaluations of cross-gender extensions in an attempt to identify conditions for successful cross-gender extensions. The results show that the gender of a brand, gender of consumers, and product type influence the evaluation of cross-gender extensions.