Do Stereotypes Ignite Polysemy and Strengthen Consumer-Based Brand Equity?

The research proposes and measures “stereotypical—polysemy—brand equity” framework for investigating African-American stereotypes and how the framework relates to advertising polysemy and consumer-based brand equity. The results demonstrate that positive stereotypes may result in both positive and negative polysemy; where positive polysemy strengthens the brand equity, and negative polysemy may not exhibit a negative influence on consumer-based brand equity. The research propagates practical implications for the advertising industry by signifying the usage of purposeful advertising polysemy for strengthening consumer-based brand equity through African-American stereotypes.