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

Abstract

PurposeDrawing 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/approachThe 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.FindingsCountry 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/valueThe 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.

Country-Brand Fit: The Effect of COO Stereotypes and Brand Positioning Consistency on Consumer Behavior: Evidence From EEG Theta-Band Oscillation

“…COO warmth refers to consumer cognitive appraisals about a country's friendliness, cooperativeness, and trustworthiness (Barbarossa et al, 2018 ). Zara may benefit from its origin's (i.e., Spain) relatively high warmth by establishing a more consonant country stereotype; for example, by stressing Spanish people's friendliness and “joie de vivre” in its brand communications (Diamantopoulos et al, 2021 ). Researchers suggested that individuals perceive countries to have different degrees of competence and warmth (Cuddy et al, 2008 ) and that they unintentionally convey (Herz and Diamantopoulos, 2013 ) such perceptions to products originating from those countries.…”

Impact of perceived brand localness and globalness on brand trust to predict customer responses towards retail banks: the case of Trinidad and Tobago

“…, 2021). Also, most researchers have limited their investigations to a single brand-related outcome in developed countries and may have overrated the external validity of their findings (Randrianasolo, 2017; Diamantopoulos et al. , 2021).…”

“…(2021) highlight the differential buying behaviors in developed and developing countries. Diamantopoulos et al. (2021) also argue that customers in lesser developed and emerging markets are more likely to rely on intangible cues and stereotypes when evaluating brands.…”

“…But most of these studies have either relied on a narrow range of mechanisms to explain brandrelated responses or have focused on customer-related goods where visual and tangible cues are used in brand evaluations (Liu et al, 2021). Also, most researchers have limited their investigations to a single brand-related outcome in developed countries and may have overrated the external validity of their findings (Randrianasolo, 2017;Diamantopoulos et al, 2021). Swomber et al (2021) caution researchers on the pitfalls of generalizing conclusions to customers living in different environments, and Liu et al (2021) highlight the differential buying behaviors in developed and developing countries.…”

“…Swomber et al (2021) caution researchers on the pitfalls of generalizing conclusions to customers living in different environments, and Liu et al (2021) highlight the differential buying behaviors in developed and developing countries. Diamantopoulos et al (2021) also argue that customers in lesser developed and emerging markets are more likely to rely on intangible cues and stereotypes when evaluating brands. The paucity of research justifies why it is essential to consider customer responses towards branding strategies in developing countries.…”