Copycatting, or product imitation, is a widespread strategy across various markets, where products mimic the trade dress of original brands, such as brand names, logos, colors, or shapes, leveraging their existing appeal and marketing efforts. Previous research has not thoroughly explored how consumers’ mixed perceptions of copycats shift towards either a negative or a positive side and the potential effectiveness of targeted advertising strategies in altering perceptions. This dissertation aims to enhance the understanding of consumer responses to copycats. Essay 1 explores how interpersonal factors like market beliefs and self-construal influence consumers’ evaluation of copycats across different international markets, shedding light on how consumers’ mixed perceptions of copycats can shift towards either a negative or a positive side based on these factors. Essay 2 examines the effectiveness of humor, particularly self-deprecating humor, in advertising copycats. This research investigates whether such humorous advertising can mitigate negative perceptions and enhance consumer evaluations of copycats. Essay 3 delves into the strategic implications of including copycats in product assortments for different types of retailers, particularly high-end versus low-end. It examines whether consumers’ mixed perceptions of copycats can shift towards either a negative or a positive side due to the situational context of retailer image. Overall, the findings suggest that consumer responses
to copycats can vary by different factors, such as the interplay between market beliefs and self-construal, advertising strategy, and retail environment. Thus, it is important for manufacturers, retailers, and marketers to take these factors into account when dealing with copycats in the marketplace.