The bond between country and brand stereotypes : insights on the role of brand typicality and utilitarian/hedonic nature in enhancing stereotype content transfer

Diamantopoulos, Adamantios (author), Szőcs, Ilona (author), Florack, Arnd (author), Kolbl, Živa (author), Egger, Martin (author)

Purpose: Drawing on the stereotype content model (SCM), the authors investigate the stereotype content transfer (in terms of warmth and competence) from country to brand and the simultaneous impact of these two stereotypes on consumer responses toward brands. Design/methodology/approach: The authors test a structural equation model conceptualizing brand stereotypes as full mediators between country stereotypes and consumer outcomes. In addition, in a moderated mediation analysis, the authors investigate the role of brand typicality and utilitarianism/hedonism in potentially moderating the country to brand stereotype content transfer. Findings: Country warmth and competence, respectively, impact brand warmth and competence, thus confirming the hypothesized stereotype content transfer. This transfer is found to be robust and not contingent on brands' perceived typicality of their country of origin. However, brands' utilitarian nature amplifies the positive impact of country competence on brand competence. Finally, brand stereotypes fully mediate the impact of country stereotypes on consumers' brand attitudes and behavioral intentions. Originality/value: The authors provide the first empirical attempt that (1) explicitly differentiates between consumers' stereotypical perceptions of countries and stereotypical perceptions of brands from these countries, (2) empirically examines the transfer of stereotypical dimensions of different targets (i.e. country to brand), (3) explores boundary conditions for such transfer and (4) simultaneously considers the impact of both kinds of stereotypes on managerially relevant consumer outcomes.

• Language: English
• Keywords: marketing, brands, consumer behaviour, research, country stereotypes, brand stereotypes, stereotype content transfer
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: In print
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-131092
• UDC: 339.138
• ISSN on article: 0265-1335
• DOI: 10.1108/IMR-09-2020-0209
• COBISS.SI-ID: 76616707
• Publication date in RUL: 22.09.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International marketing review
• Shortened title: Int. mark. rev.
• Publisher: Emerald
• ISSN: 0265-1335
• COBISS.SI-ID: 141084

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 31.08.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: trženje, blagovne znamke, vedenje potrošnikov, raziskave

Projects

• Funder: FWF - Austrian Science Fund
• Funding programme: Internationale Projekte
• Project number: I 3727–G27
• Name: Navigating Brand Preference through Consumers´ Stereotypes