Based on theories of attribution and suspicion, three experiments highlight the mediating role of perceived sincerity of motives in determining the effectiveness of CSR activities. CSR activities improve a company's image when consumers attribute sincere motives, are ineffective when sincerity of motives is ambiguous, and hurt the company's image when motives are perceived as insincere. Variables affecting perceived sincerity include the benefit salience of the cause, the source through which consumers learn about CSR, and the ratio of CSR contributions and CSR‐related advertising. High benefit salience of the cause hurts the company, in particular when consumers learn about it from a company source. This backfire effect can be overcome by spending more on CSR activities than on advertising that features CSR.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -Given the dramatic technology-led changes that continue to take place in the marketplace, researchers and practitioners alike are keen to understand the emergence and implications of online brand communities (OBCs). The purpose of this paper is to explore OBCs from both consumer and company perspectives. Design/methodology/approach -The study provides a synthesis of the extant OBC literature to further our understanding of OBCs, and also puts forth future priorities for OBC research. Findings -A conceptual framework is provided that extends our understanding of OBCs and consumer engagement. Four key OBC dimensions (brand orientation, internet-use, funding and governance) are identified and three antecedents (brand-related, social and functional) are proposed of consumer-OBC engagement. Originality/value -This study is the first to explore key dimensions of OBCs, and the differing but related perspectives of the consumers and organizations involved.

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Consumer-brand relationships can be formed based on individual-or group-level connections. For example, a consumer's relationship with a Mercedes may be based on the desire to express individual-level unique identity (e.g., self-concept connection), whereas a relationship with a local brand (e.g., Ford) may be based on a group-level patriotic national identity (e.g., country-of-origin connection). We suggest that the effects of self-concept connection and brand country-of-origin connection vary based on self-construal. Results across two studies reveal that, under independent self-construal, self-concept connection is more important. Under interdependent self-construal, brand country-of-origin connection is more important. R ecently, the relationship perspective has become increasingly popular as a theoretical lens for understanding consumer-brand interactions (Aaker, Fournier, and Brasel 2004; Escalas and Bettman 2005; Fournier 1998). Consumers are known to form strong relationships with those brands that have values and personality associations that are congruent with their self-concept (Sirgy 1982). In this way, brand relationships can be viewed as expressions of consumers' identities (Escalas and Bettman 2005; Reed 2004). Self-concept connection, a dimension of the consumerbrand relationship, indicates the amount that the brand contributes to one's identity, values, and goals (Fournier 1998). For instance, the Harley Davidson brand, with its free-spirited and rebellious image, is likely to appeal more to those

The authors examine the extent to which cuiturai orientation infiuences country of origin effects on product evaluations in two countries (Japan and the United States). Subjects were given attribute information about a mountain bike made in either Japan or the United States. The target product was described as either superior or inferior to competition. Respondents in Japan evaluated the product that originated in the home country (versus foreign country) more favorably regardless of product superiority. In contrast, respondents in the United States evaluated the product that originated in the home country more favorably only when the product was superior to competition. The authors explain these findings on the basis of the cultural psychological principles of individualism and collectivism. Specifically, the authors show that the vertical dimension of individualism and collectivism explains country of origin effects. The authors also discuss implications for global marketing strategies featuring country of origin.