Understanding Cosmopolitanism and Brand Origin Recognition Accuracy: The Moderating Effect of Need for Cognition

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates whether cosmopolitan individuals have a greater knowledge of brand origins compared to non-cosmopolitans. The moderating effect of need for cognition is tested. Additionally, this work tests whether the level of confidence in assigning a country of origin to a brand affects brand attitude. The results show that cosmopolitan individuals have significantly higher brand origin recognition accuracy scores than non-cosmopolitans. Second, an interaction is found between cosmopolitanism and need for cognition to impact the brand origin recognition accuracy. Third, when individuals are more confident about the origin of a brand, brand attitude increases.

KEYWORDS:

• cosmopolitanism
• brand origin recognition accuracy
• need for cognition
• confidence

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Fonds Quebecois sur la recherché et la culture.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michel Laroche

Michel Laroche is the Royal Bank Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montreal (Quebec), H3G1M8 Canada. Email: [email protected].

Chun Zhang

Chun Zhang is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management and Marketing, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton (Ohio), 45469 USA. Email: [email protected]

Alice Sambath

Alice Sambath works at Total Canada Inc., 220 Lafleur Avenue, LaSalle (Quebec), H84 4C9 Canada. Email: [email protected]