This paper aims to examine how differently cognitive and affective country image affects brand loyalty of smartphone brands from two developed countries in Vietnam and how product image mediates these effects.
This research used the cross-sectional design. Data was collected via questionnaires and 517 responses were left after refining. The confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were applied to analyze the collected data.
The effects of the cognitive country image on brand loyalty are totally transmitted through product image. The effects of affective country image on brand loyalty are divided into direct and indirect effects transmitted through product image.
Affective country image and product image have complementary effects, whereas cognitive country image and product image have substituting effects on brand loyalty.
International companies from countries with unfavorable country images should concentrate more on improving their product images to improve brand loyalty in foreign markets.
The findings support previous studies, which have shown that cognitive and affective country images are distinctive dimensions of country image and affect consumer cognition and responses toward products/brands through different mechanisms.
