What is stimulus generalization and why it important to marketers?

Stimulus generalization refers to the tendency of stimuli similar to a CS to evoke similar conditioned responses. People react to other similar stimuli in much the same way as they respond to an original stimulus. A drugstore's bottle of private-brand mouthwash deliberately packaged to resemble Listerine mouthwash may evoke a similar response among consumers who assume that this "me-too" product shares other characteristics of the original.
By using stimulus generalization, companies are able to capitalize on consumers' positive associations with its existing brand. This helps the company showcase and advertise their new product by relating it to a similar product with positive associations.