TY - JOUR

T1 - Cross-National Advertising and Behavioral Intentions: A Multilevel Analysis

AU - Walsh, G.

AU - Shiu, E.M.

AU - Hassan, L.M.

PY - 2014/3/1

Y1 - 2014/3/1

N2 - Previous research has provided limited insight into (1) the cross-national effectiveness of marketing communication aimed at engaging consumers and (2) the moderating role of national characteristics. This study assesses the effectiveness of a cross-national advertising campaign in terms of changing behavioral intentions. The authors examine the moderating effects of country-level indicators representing three institutional pillars (regulative, normative/moral, and cultural-cognitive) on the mediated associations between three advertising persuasion measures (message comprehension, attitude toward the campaign, and message elaboration) and behavioral intentions. The authors examine a multilevel analysis using survey data related to a 25-country advertising campaign to test hypothesized within-country and between-country effects. The results show that message comprehension affects message elaboration less strongly in countries with stronger regulative, normative/moral, and cultural-cognitive pillars. Attitude toward the campaign affects message elaboration less strongly in countries with stronger normative/moral and cultural-cognitive pillars. Message elaboration affects behavioral intention less strongly in countries with a stronger regulative pillar but more strongly in countries with a stronger normative/moral pillar. The authors discuss implications for international marketing theory and practice.

AB - Previous research has provided limited insight into (1) the cross-national effectiveness of marketing communication aimed at engaging consumers and (2) the moderating role of national characteristics. This study assesses the effectiveness of a cross-national advertising campaign in terms of changing behavioral intentions. The authors examine the moderating effects of country-level indicators representing three institutional pillars (regulative, normative/moral, and cultural-cognitive) on the mediated associations between three advertising persuasion measures (message comprehension, attitude toward the campaign, and message elaboration) and behavioral intentions. The authors examine a multilevel analysis using survey data related to a 25-country advertising campaign to test hypothesized within-country and between-country effects. The results show that message comprehension affects message elaboration less strongly in countries with stronger regulative, normative/moral, and cultural-cognitive pillars. Attitude toward the campaign affects message elaboration less strongly in countries with stronger normative/moral and cultural-cognitive pillars. Message elaboration affects behavioral intention less strongly in countries with a stronger regulative pillar but more strongly in countries with a stronger normative/moral pillar. The authors discuss implications for international marketing theory and practice.

U2 - 10.1509/jim.13.0091

DO - 10.1509/jim.13.0091

M3 - Article

VL - 22

SP - 77

EP - 98

JO - Journal of International Marketing

JF - Journal of International Marketing

SN - 1069-031X

IS - 1

ER -