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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Examining the Performance of Brand-Extended Thematic-Content : The Divergent Impact of Avid- and Skim-Reader Groups

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Today, the reading online content is a daily habit for many users. In an online environment, users encounter brands, who hope to attract visitors to their online spheres of influence through brand-extended thematic-content. The purpose of this study is to investigate this phenomenon and assess its impact on both the readers of the content and the brands. To do this, we use structural equation modeling to analyze data from two groups, skim readers and avid readers, who vary in terms of the behaviors they invest in the reading of brand-extended thematic-content. The findings reveal that brand-extended thematic-content affects divergently on the brand attitude formation of these two groups. Specifically, this study reveals that, for skim readers on social networking sites, brand-extended thematic-content affects brand attitude primarily through an affect transfer effect, whereas, for avid readers, brand attitude is shaped primarily by brand familiarity following reading frequency. Brand-extended thematic-content creates mutual benefits for readers and the brand.Skim reading on social media provides only limited and more fragile brand response.Reading frequency is central in affecting brand response for avid engagers.Enjoyable content may support avid reading over functional content.