MARKETING COMMUNICATION EFFECTS The way brand associations are formed
does not matter. In other words, whether a consumer has an equally strong, favorable, and unique
brand association of Subaru with the concepts “outdoors,” “active,” and “rugged” because of
exposure to a TV ad that shows the car driving over rugged terrain at different times of the year, or
because Subaru sponsors ski, kayak, and mountain bike events, the impact in terms of Subaru’s
brand equity should be identical.