The effects of brand heritage and brand innovation on extended product purchase intentions for corporate heritage brands: a ying–yang perspective

Purpose This study aims to adopt the perspective of yin-yang thinking to determine the dual mediating effect of brand heritage and brand innovation on extended product purchase intentions through brand authenticity and customer inspiration. Given that brand extension has become an effective way for corporate heritage brands to promote new products and rejuvenate their brands, the limited research on the influence of heritage and innovation on extended product purchase intentions has hindered management practices. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the objectives of this study, Study 1 surveyed 375 consumers using a real brand. In Study 2, the robustness of the results of Study 1 was verified via a fictitious brand with an additional sample of 182 consumers. AMOS structural equation modeling is performed to test a set of hypotheses regarding the relationships among these variables. Findings The results show that through the path of brand authenticity, brand heritage positively affects extended product purchase intention; conversely, brand innovation negatively affects extended product purchase intention. However, via the customer inspiration path, brand heritage negatively affects extended product purchase intention, and conversely, brand innovation positively affects extended product purchase intention. Originality/value This study not only examines the heritage and innovation of time-honored brands by creatively combining the Chinese yin–yang theory and brand extension theory but also provides practitioners with valuable insights into developing time-honored practices for brand extension, especially in the Chinese context.