Study on the Spillover Effects of Overseas Brand Crises

Qing Li,Zheng Jiang

doi:10.4236/jssm.2017.104031

Abstract

Innocent domestic brands are always infected by some overseas brand crises. In this article, we examined the factors that can inhibit the spillover effects of overseas brand crises. The results revealed that high level of mental construal and national identity can help domestic brands defend the negative spillover effects of overseas brand crises. For consumers with low level of national identity, they evaluate domestic brands more favorably when they are at the high level of construal than assigned at the low level of construal.

Highlights

Previous researches find that while consumers’ social identities are threatened, they will choose to defend it or abandon it [1] [2]
The results revealed that high level of mental construal and national identity can help domestic brands defend the negative spillover effects of overseas brand crises
In combine with the literatures on construal level theory above, we propose that national identity will moderates the effects of construal level on domestic brand evaluations

Summary

Introduction

Previous researches find that while consumers’ social identities are threatened, they will choose to defend it or abandon it [1] [2]. Consumers are divided into in-groups and out-groups according to the country they come from under the conditions of some overseas brand crises. Once they choose to abandon the identity threatened, the spillover effects of overseas brand crises are emerging, that is, innocent domestic brands are negatively affected by the overseas brand crises. When consumers’ in-group identification is low, consumers will lay the blame for overseas brand crises on the domestic background, and evaluate the domestic brands negatively. We wonder whether these spillover effects can be reduced or eliminated. What are the boundary conditions that can weaken the spillover effects of the overseas brand crises?

Methods

Results

Conclusion