Abstract: According to the limited capacity model of attention， persuasion knowledge model and elaboration likelihood model of persuasion， the theoretical models between brand prominence， need for cognition and brand responses(i.e. brand memory， brand attitude and purchase intention)were constructed. By conducting an eye-tracking experiment， the underlying mechanisms between brand prominence， need for cognition and brand responses were unraveled. The results showed that， brand prominence can significantly positively affect brand memory， but significantly negatively affect brand attitude and purchase intention; attention allocation and activation of conceptual persuasion knowledge play intermediary roles between brand prominence and brand memory; attention allocation， activation of conceptual and attitudinal persuasion knowledge play intermediary roles between brand prominence and brand attitude and purchasing intention; these influential mechanisms of brand prominence on brand responses were significant only for viewers high in need for cognition.

Key words: brand prominence; attention allocation; conceptual persuasion knowledge; attitudinal persuasion knowledge; need for cognition; brand responses