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Warm versus competent countries: National stereotyping effects on expectations of hedonic versus utilitarian product properties

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Abstract

In this empirical article, we examine if and how national stereotypes based on perceptions of warmth versus competence affect consumers’ expectations about the hedonic versus utilitarian nature of products by employing a between-subjects experimental design on a US consumer sample. Results demonstrate that higher perceived warmth results in greater expectations of hedonic product properties, and that higher competence perceptions result in greater expectations of utilitarian properties. Importantly, we further show that warmth and competence consumer perceptions of nations mediate the effect of country-of-origin (COO) on hedonic and utilitarian product expectations, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the study provides the first empirical verification in the COO literature that national stereotype contents (warmth and competence perceptions) actually drive consumer expectations of products. Our findings hold significant implications for the marketing strategies of nations as they position their products, investment and tourism offerings in a highly competitive nation-brand perceptual space. Further practical implications are recommended for global consumer brands.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the contribution of Dr Thomas Kramer to earlier versions of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Assistant professor of marketing at the School of Management, Marketing and International Business, Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, 07083, NJ, USA

    Michael Chattalas

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  1. Michael Chattalas
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  2. Hirokazu Takada
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Correspondence to Michael Chattalas.

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1received his PhD from The City University of New York and is Assistant Professor and Academic Program Coordinator at the School of Management, Marketing and International Business, Kean University. His research on consumer perceptions and national stereotyping, luxury value, sustainability and cross-cultural perspectives has been published in journals such as International Marketing Review and Journal of Consumer Marketing and presented at international conferences. He has extensive teaching experience in international executive education in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

2received his PhD from Purdue University and is Professor of Marketing and International Business at the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, City University of New York. His research investigates competitive marketing behavior and advertising, international marketing research and analysis of diffusion processes and has been published in numerous scholarly journals, including Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research and Journal of International Marketing.

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Chattalas, M., Takada, H. Warm versus competent countries: National stereotyping effects on expectations of hedonic versus utilitarian product properties. Place Brand Public Dipl 9, 88–97 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2013.5

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