Brands as Signals: A Cross-Country Validation Study
用巴西、德国等七国的橙汁和电脑数据，验证了品牌作为产品定位信号的作用，发现品牌可信度对集体主义或不确定性规避倾向强的消费者影响更大。
This article tests how well the information economics view of brand equity explains consumer brand choice in countries that represent different cultural dimensions. In this empirical analysis, the authors use survey and experimental data on orange juice and personal computers collected from respondents in Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Spain, Turkey, and the United States. The results provide strong empirical evidence across countries for the role of brands as signals of product positions. In addition, the positive effect of brand credibility on choice is greater for consumers who rate high on either collectivism or uncertainty avoidance. Credible brands provide more value to collectivist consumers because such consumers perceive these brands as being of higher quality (i.e., reinforcing group identity). Credible brands provide more value to high-uncertainty-avoidance consumers because such brands have lower perceived risk and information costs.