Brand associations may refer to persons, a “use context”, a life style or a personality. All of these may change the use experience and help process and retrieve information in a specific manner. Two identical products may create a different effect in using only because their brand’s
associations differ. Associations can be critical factors in differentiating and positioning, creating a reason to buy to those potential customers who are looking for specific associated physical or emotional features. If a brand is well positioned upon a key product attribute the attempt of a frontal assault by claiming superiority via that dimension will be a credibility failure, thus an association being a barrier to competitors. A strong association may be also the basis of a brand extension providing significant competitive advantage in the targeted area.