BRAND POPULARITY, COUNTRY IMAGE AND MARKET SHARE - AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY

This study examines how brand popularity in conjunction with other mar keting variables influences market share directly as well as indirectl y by interacting with country-related intangible assets (or simply cou ntry image), The results of our empirical analysis show that a competi tive analysis without the recognition of country image would be mislea ding. We found that country-specific intangible assets exist and that they significantly interact with marketing variables differently for U .S. and Japanese brands in the subcompact car market in the USA, Brand popularity and advertising were found to be key factors for intangibl e assets for both the U.S. and the Japanese brands. Brand popularity w as the most significant factor for market share in both the short run and the long run. Japanese firms' direct investment (FDI) in the targe t country directly influenced market share only in the short run. Seve ral important implications for international marketing are presented.