The moderating impact of perceived globalness on consumers’ purchase intentions for copycats: The pleasure of hurting global brands

Abstract

Copycats or "me-too" brands imitate prominent features of market leaders with the intention to benefit from consumers' positive associations of the imitated brand.However, the imitated market leader can be perceived as being local (=in-group) or global (=out-group). Employing social identity theory, Study 1 examined the interaction between copycat strategy and perceived globalness of the brand, showing that consumers have higher purchase intentions for global copycats versus a local counterpart. Study 2 shows that the interacting effect of copycat strategy and perceived globalness is moderated by consumer ethnocentrism. Further, authors demonstrate that a global copycat elicit greater schadenfreude (vs. local brand), which in turn increases consumers' purchase intentions. Subsequent mediation analysis shows that ethnocentric consumers experience schadenfreude upon encountering copycats of global brands, which in turn increases purchase intention, whereas low ethnocentric consumers show higher purchase intentions for local differentiated brands because they deem a copycat strategy as unacceptable. Finally, Study 3 examines whether the results from Studies 1 and 2 continue to hold for theme copycats.

So happy for your loss: Consumer schadenfreude increases choice satisfaction

“…At an abstract level, our research contributes to the literature on the consequences of complex emotions (Kramer, Lau‐Gesk, & Chiu, 2009; Williams & Aaker, 2002). More specifically, it extends the emerging scholarship on some of the outcomes of consumer schadenfreude (Kramer et al, 2011; Loebnitz & Grunert, 2019; Yucel‐Aybat & Kramer, 2017). Informed by the feelings‐as‐information theory (Schwarz, 2012; Schwarz & Clore, 2007), the current work reveals a surprising finding across three empirical studies—that witnessing another's failed purchase can make consumers feel better about their own choice, even though another's failure should rationally not impact the evaluation of one's own choice.…”

“…The current paper makes an important contribution to the emerging literature on the consequences of schadenfreude in a consumption context (e.g., Loebnitz & Grunert, 2019; Sundie et al, 2009; Yucel‐Aybat & Kramer, 2017). Namely, this study is the first one to demonstrate schadenfreude impacts consumers' evaluation of choices they have already made, as reflected in consumer choice satisfaction.…”

“…Consumer identification with a brand can lead to schadenfreude toward another rival brand (Phillips‐Melancon & Dalakas, 2014), as can brand attachment (Japutra, Ekinci, & Simkin, 2018). Consumers express schadenfreude when brand copycats emerge, especially when copycats of global rather than of local brands appear (Loebnitz & Grunert, 2019). In televised sports competitions, schadenfreude emerges when instant replays show negative outcomes of the opposing team (Kim & Kim, 2018).…”

“…When a status brand fails, schadenfreude causes negative affect, negative attitudes, and stronger intentions to spread negative word‐of‐mouth about such a brand (Sundie et al, 2009). When copycats of a global brand emerge, schadenfreude increases purchase intentions for such copycats, given consumer intentions to hurt the global brand (Loebnitz & Grunert, 2019). In televised sports competitions, brand attitudes increase for sponsoring brands that advertise during instant replays that show negative outcomes of the opposing team (Kim & Kim, 2018).…”

Drivers of brand credibility in consumer evaluation of global brands and domestic brands in an emerging market context

“…In the present research context, global brands signal widespread availability, superior quality and enhanced reputation and image. Alternatively, domestic brands signal their ability to identify with local culture, traditions and customs (Özsomer, 2012;Loebnitz and Grunert, 2019). Thus, it is proposed that brand credibility is the most important signal of the brand performance in emerging markets in consumer evaluation of global and domestic brands.…”