Application of the stereotype content model in marketing: a three-level review and future research
Journal of Contemporary Marketing Science
ISSN: 2516-7480
Article publication date: 4 October 2022
Issue publication date: 11 October 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this research is to examine the application of the stereotype content model (SCM) in the field of marketing from macro (the country of origin), meso- (corporate image) and micro (service providers, brands, advertising and promotions) levels.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper collects, reviews and summarizes the relevant literature, and prospects future research directions from three levels on this research topic.
Findings
First, the authors contend that competence primacy popularizes in the early work but warmth becomes more influential recently. Second, they identify and discuss two doubts of the SCM in marketing, namely the moral dimension and the link between brands as intentional agents framework (BIAF) and the brand personality theory. Finally, they suggest several research avenues for the use of SCM in marketing research, including research on nation branding, emerging global brands and Confucianist cultures at macro level, artificial intelligence and warmth-as-competence strategy at meso-level, and brand personality and the brand animal logo at micro level.
Originality/value
As an established framework in social psychology, the SCM has been increasingly applied in marketing research and a literature review in this light appears timely. This paper conducts for the first time a comprehensive review of the SCM in the marketing field on three levels, projects promising research directions, and thus contributes to the academia of marketing.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: The study is funded by the special fund for basic scientific research business fees of central universities of the University of International Business and Economics. The award number is CXTD9-03.
Citation
Guo, X., Liu, H. and Zhang, Y. (2022), "Application of the stereotype content model in marketing: a three-level review and future research", Journal of Contemporary Marketing Science, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 196-213. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCMARS-05-2022-0011
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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