Measuring the Influence of Corporate Image on Country of Origin Image. The Case of Spain

Abstract

Place branding scholars and practitioners have increasingly highlighted the influence that corporate image can exert on the image of the country of origin (COI). Yet, there is remarkably little theoretical and empirical research on this influence. Filling this gap is important in relation to both theory and practice. The aim of the proposed study is to measure the influence of the image of Spanish corporate brands on the image that British people have of Spain. The three specific objectives of our research are as follows: (1) to analyse whether corporate image affects COI; (2) to examine the influence of corporate image- (net valence, consistency, corporate brand image strength and corporate brand image stature) and corporate-related factors (number of corporate brands and accessibility) on COI; and (3) to investigate the moderating effects of corporate familiarity, business familiarity and consumer ethnocentrism on the influence of corporate image- and corporate-related factors on COI.