The reverse country-of-origin spread effects: An integrative framework of product, destination and country image with co-branding perspective

Abstract

Traditional country-of-origin effects are concerned with the country image to influence beliefs about the country’s products. Resent researches suggest the reverse effects of product beliefs on destination or country image. If product beliefs can generalize into a favourable country image, a spread effect will then enable the traditional country-of-origin effect to benefit the country’s other products. In this study, the findings of a questionnaire survey involving three different industries across two counties reveal the positive relationships among the product-related beliefs, destination-related beliefs, general country image, country brand equity and related consumer behavioural intentions, indicating that both product-related beliefs and destination-related beliefs positively influence the general country image, contributing to the positive country brand equity, which in turn, influences consumers’ behaviour intentions in other industries. Furthermore, the author draws on the co-branding theory and image transfer process to build the theorical model to explain their findings, contributing to the broad grounds not only for other researchers, but also for brand managers, tourist organizations, industry associations and governors to work cooperatively for building up synergic effectiveness.