Abstract: It’s important for time-honored enterprises to choose appropriate crossover products favored by young people before they engage in crossover marketing. Despite the burgeoning research on brand crossover, the literature lacks an in-depth understanding of crossover mechanism. Thus, based on association-demand theory, this paper investigates the psychological mechanism of how brand crossover affects young consumers’ brand attitudes. The results show that there is an interaction effect between crossover marketing and the degree of difference-seeking. That is, when consumers with a high degree of difference-seeking encounter the “element grafting” type of brand crossover, or consumers with a low degree of difference-seeking encounter co-branding, their perceptions of innovation and brand attitude are more positive. In addition, cultural identity has a moderating effect on this interaction effect. The findings provide theoretical and practical guidance for time-honored enterprises in renewing the value of their brands.

Key words: time-honored brand, crossover marketing, degree of difference-seeking, consumer perception of innovation, cultural identity