Nouvelle publication: "A semiotic analysis of the extendibility of luxury brands"

Title:	A semiotic analysis of the extendibility of luxury brands
Author(s):	Nathalie Veg-Sala, (Nanterre University), Elyette Roux, (Aix Marseille University)
Citation:	Nathalie Veg-Sala, Elyette Roux, (2014) "A semiotic analysis of the extendibility of luxury brands", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 23 Iss: 2
Article type:	Research paper
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Abstract:	Purpose - Considering a long-term perspective and the discourse directly emitted by brands, the aim is to study how can brand extension potential be predicted through the analysis of brand contracts? Design/methodology/approach - Using a structural semiotic approach, we analyse the discourse of twelve luxury brands. We first define the brand narratives and we categorise them in three types of contracts: delimitation, determination and mastery. Thus we analyse the openness of each brand contract, using the oppositions "open – closed" and "continuous – discontinuous". Finally, we study simultaneously the openness of several contracts. Findings - Three groups of brands are identified. -Brands anchored in both determination and mastery contracts defined as open (high extendibility); -Brands anchored in a determination contract defined as open, as well as in a mastery contract defined as closed (low extendibility); -Brands anchored in a mastery contract defined as open as well as in a determination contract defined as not closed (high extendibility, but risks of diluting the brand value). Research limitations/implications - Compared with extensions actually developed by these brands, the results are discussed and strategies are proposed to maximize the long-term brand development when the brand extension potential is low. Only studied on products, it would be interesting to complete this analysis in services. Originality/value - The main contribution is the focus on brand narratives and contracts to predict the brand extensibility of luxury brands. Structural semiotics provides another original insight.