International marketing strategies leveraging country-of-origin effects in luxury market : a systematic review and research agenda

Ghosh, Tathagata (author), Kumra, Rajeev (author), Pius Dsouza, Melanie (author), Mitręga, Maciej (author), Spáčil, Vojtěch (author), Pfajfar, Gregor (author)

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to synthesize the fragmented body of knowledge on COO effects in the context of luxury brands’ international marketing strategies. The study aims to uncover how luxury marketers utilize COO images to shape consumer perceptions and decision-making processes. Additionally, it seeks to bridge gaps in the literature by providing a structured research agenda for future studies that addresses the unique role of COO-based international marketing strategies in luxury markets. Design/methodology/approach – This study conducts a systematic literature review of 79 research articles on international marketing strategies used by luxury brands leveraging country-of-origin effects. The PRISMA protocol guides article selection, while bibliometric analysis identifies publication trends, theories, methods, and contexts. Finally, the Antecedent–Decision–Outcome (ADO) and Theory–Context–Method (TCM) frameworks are applied to structure the literature into key strategic drivers, consumer responses, and outcomes related to country-of-origin strategies. Findings – The review identifies six categories of antecedents: four strategy-related (COO competence and image strategies, international brand management strategies, international product management and attribute differentiation strategies, and international pricing and marketing investment strategies) and two context-related (cultural and psychographic dynamics of international consumers, and economic and market entry conditions). These antecedents influence two decision categories: brand and product evaluation, and consumer identity expression. These decisions lead to three key consumer-level outcomes: purchase likelihood, value assessment, and brand performance. Overall, the review provides a structured understanding of how COO-based strategies impact luxury brand marketing and consumer behaviour across global markets. Originality/value – This review is the first systematic synthesis of country-of-origin strategies in international luxury marketing. By using the ADO and TCM frameworks together, it offers a clear, structured view of how luxury product manufacturers use country-of-origin cues to influence consumers across global markets. Its originality lies not just in organizing past research, but in exposing key gaps in theories, methods, and contexts. It shows the overuse of narrow information-processing models and highlights opportunities to apply richer theories like identity and cultural frameworks. The study also presents a detailed agenda for future research and provides practical insights for managers on how to use international country-of-origin related strategies more effectively in the marketing of luxury products.

• Language: English
• Keywords: international trade, globalization, marketing, literature review, systematic literature review, country-of-origin, international marketing, marketing strategy, luxury brand, luxury marketing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: In print
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Year: 2025
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-181647
• UDC: 339.138
• ISSN on article: 0265-1335
• DOI: 10.1108/IMR-01-2025-0016
• COBISS.SI-ID: 247172867
• Publication date in RUL: 10.04.2026

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-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mednarodna trgovina, globalizacija, trženje, pregled literature

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0177
• Name: Slovenija in njeni akterji v mednarodnih odnosih in evropskih integracijah

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Project number: CZ.10.03.01/00/22_003/0000048
• Name: Research Excellence for Region Sustainability and High-tech Industries
• Acronym: REFRESH