The Influence Mechanism of Cultural Fit on the Image of Time-Honored Brands: Based on the Perspective of Brand Extension

International competition and the continual emergence of new brands pose significant challenges to time-honored brands, prompting many of these established brands to adopt brand extension strategies as a means of reshaping and revitalizing their brand image. Based on the theory of brand legitimacy, this study constructs a research model of cultural fit – brand legitimacy – brand image and proposes pop culture involvement as a moderating variable. Two Chinese time-honored brands in the pharmaceutical industry, Tongrentang and Pientzehuang, were selected as the experiment scenarios. The study finds that: in the process of brand extension, cultural fit plays a positive role in influencing the brand image of the time-honored brands; brand legitimacy plays a mediation role between cultural fit and brand image; pop culture involvement plays a negative moderating role between cultural fit and brand legitimacy. Applications have also been mentioned in the study.