• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to address marketing strategies for the brand extension of university-licensed merchandise by investigating influences on intent to purchase a new university-licensed merchandise line, tartan. A survey questionnaire was developed and administered online to the major target market for university-licensed merchandise. Four hundred and fifty students and alumni from a US Midwestern university completed the survey. Respondents were asked to answer questions on university identification, perceived university prestige, perceived value of the university-licensed merchandise, intent to purchase a brand extension in university-licensed merchandise, and demographics. It was hypothesized that university identification (H1) and perceived university prestige (H2) are positively related to the perceived value of the university-licensed merchandise and that perceived value of the university-licensed merchandise is positively related to intent to purchase a brand extension in university-licensed merchandise (H3). The difference between students and alumni was also tested. Consumers with high university identification and high perceived university prestige highly valued the university-licensed merchandise. Consumers who perceived a high value of the current university-licensed merchandise displayed a strong intent to purchase a brand extension in university-licensed merchandise. There was no structural difference between the two groups. The study builds on existing research on the influences of attitudes toward the university and university-licensed merchandise on purchasing university-licensed merchandise, specifically investigating intent to purchase a brand extension in university-licensed merchandise. This study also extends previous brand-extension research into university-licensed merchandise.