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Abstract

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) elements are increasingly incorporated into brand marketing strategies to appeal to local consumers. However, little is known about the effect of ICH label on consumer brand responses. Drawing on cue utilization theory and social identity theory, this study examined the effects of ICH label and brand types (i.e., brand origin and brand positioning) on Chinese consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions for brands incorporating Chinese ICH elements through the mediation role of cultural respect. This study tested the research hypotheses through three online experimental studies. Results revealed that attaching an ICH label (vs. without the label) to a brand’s ICH-inspired product significantly enhanced Chinese consumer brand responses, with this effect being more pronounced for foreign brands than domestic brands. These relationships were mediated by cultural respect. Additionally, this study explored the moderating role of foreign brand positioning and found that the ICH label was more effective for foreign mainstream brands than for luxury brands. This study provides evidence regarding the effectiveness of attaching an ICH label to improve consumers’ responses to brands utilizing ICH elements and to help weaken or eliminate local consumers’ in-group biased responses to foreign brands by considering various brand levels.

Keywords

intangible cultural heritage cue utilization theory social identity theory ICH label brand type

Introduction

The fashion industry is replete with inspiration from various sources, including artistic expressions, literary works, and cultural traditions (Cosh, 2023). Empirical research has demonstrated the benefits of commercializing cultural elements to appeal to local consumers and enhance brand evaluations (Nie & Wang, 2021). Intangible cultural heritage (hereafter, ICH) refers to immaterial manifestations of a group’s creativity that are exclusive and distinct from those of other groups, including languages, rites, beliefs, literature, works of art, and craftsmanship (Lenzerini, 2011; UNESCO, 2003). Many well-known fashion brands (e.g., Fendi, Loewe, Canada Goose, Zara) have recently begun to draw inspiration from ICH and incorporate them into their product designs. The ICH utilization amplified the brand’s visibility and gained popularity among consumers (Nan, 2022). However, some brands have been accused of cultural appropriation for using local cultural elements unauthorizedly. For example, Anthropologie and Dior were criticized for cultural appropriation because of inappropriately exploiting other countries’ ICH items in products without proper acknowledgment of their origins (Cosh, 2023). This lack of recognition has severed the authenticity of ICH items (Nan, 2022).

Authenticity, reflecting the connection of ICH to the cultural idiosyncrasies of the social group it originates from, is a key indicator of ICH’s value (Lenzerini, 2011). Misuse or inappropriate application of ICH elements may lead to a loss of authenticity and a reduction in cultural value. Previous research found that consumers’ perceived authenticity of cultural elements used in products increased their purchase intentions (Laroche et al., 2020). Unfortunately, consumers often face challenges in determining whether ICH elements are used in an authorized and culturally appropriate manner. Despite the increasing incorporation of ICH in brands, empirical research on its commercial use remains limited. Early research (e.g., Cominelli & Greffe, 2012; Esfehani & Albrecht, 2018) highlighted ICH as a source of innovation and proposed various approaches to safeguard ICH for creative use. While recent research has examined factors influencing perceptions of the appropriateness of ICH applications, these investigations have primarily focused on tourism contexts, particularly in relation to ICH-based tourism products and destination visit intentions (Esfehani & Albrecht, 2019; Y. Guo & Zhu, 2023; Katelieva et al., 2020; Qiu & Zuo, 2023; Rodzi et al., 2013).

In the literature on ICH-inspired product consumption, the majority of existing research has focused mainly on handicrafts recognized as ICH or ICH-related souvenirs (Fuchs et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2023). For example, Zhang et al. (2023) examined the influence of cultural identity and knowledge on consumers’ purchase intentions for products crafted with ICH-designated handicrafts. On the contrary, the current commercialization of ICH extends beyond tourism and souvenir consumption. China, which has the world’s largest number of ICH items (UNESCO, 2003) has seen a surge in consumer interest in products that reflect its cultural heritage (Dao, 2021). A recent report revealed that sales of brands featuring ICH-inspired products on Taobao, a major Chinese e-commerce platform, grew by 11.6% between 2020 and 2022 (Ali Research, 2022).

A diverse array of brands—both foreign (e.g., Loewe, Fendi) and domestic (e.g., Li Ning, Hui), as well as luxury (e.g., Fendi) and mainstream (e.g., Zara)—have recently incorporated Chinese ICH elements to convey cultural appreciation and appeal to Chinese consumers (Gen de Art, 2023). Despite this trend, no research has yet explored how different types of brands might incorporate ICH elements into product design in a culturally authorized manner. While some studies have examined consumer responses to brands incorporating cultural elements through various marketing strategies (e.g., appropriate interpretive approaches) from a cultural appreciation perspective (X. Guo et al., 2019; Nie & Wang, 2021), these studies did not focus specifically on ICH contexts. For example, X. Guo et al. (2019) proposed that showing cultural respect can enhance local consumer responses toward global brands using local cultural elements. However, effective marketing strategies for expressing a brand’s cultural respect specifically toward ICH remain underexplored.

A recent study by Qiu and Zuo (2023) demonstrated that an ICH label could be an effective strategy attaching to a destination to improve the destination image and boost tourists’ visit intentions. The impact of labels on shaping consumers’ brand evaluations and purchase behaviors has been well-documented through the lens of cue utilization theory (Huang & Kwon, 2023; Kim et al., 2019). Thus, affixing an ICH label to products that utilize specific ICH elements may serve as a potential cue signaling both the authenticity of the ICH and the brand’s cultural respect. In addition, prior research suggests that branding cues, as potent extrinsic indicators, may interfere with label effects in shaping consumer responses (Bauer et al., 2013; Feuß et al., 2022). However, the role of ICH labeling in the context of ICH-inspired product consumption remains unexplored, particularly in the Chinese market, where various types of brands—distinguished by country-of-origin and market positioning—have capitalized on ICH’s added value without sufficiently acknowledging its origins (Nan, 2022).

To address these research gaps, empirical research investigating whether the ICH label can effectively convey cultural respect and enhance consumer brand responses, and whether this label effect is equivalent for different types of brands are of significant importance. Therefore, this study draws on cue utilization theory and social identity theory to examine Chinese consumers’ responses toward brands adopting ICH elements. Specifically, this study aims to investigate (1) the effects of ICH label on consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions, (2) how brand type (i.e., brand origin and brand positioning) interacts with the ICH label to influence consumer responses, and (3) the mediating role of cultural respect in these relationships.

Theoretical Review and Hypotheses Development

Cue Utilization Theory

Cue utilization theory posits that products embrace intrinsic and extrinsic cues (Olson & Jacoby, 1972). Intrinsic cues refer to inherent attributes of a product that form part of its physical components, such as color, material, size, shape, style, craftsmanship, taste, ingredients, etc. On the other hand, extrinsic cues are attributes relating to the product but are physically separated from the product itself, such as brand name, licensing label, third-party certification, packaging, price, store image, and country-of-origin (Huang & Kwon, 2023; Yang et al., 2022). Consumers utilize these cues, either intrinsic or extrinsic, to evaluate products and make purchasing decisions (Richardson et al., 1994).

Both types of cues possess predictive and confidence values. The predictive value of a cue indicates its level of usefulness in evaluating a focal product, and the confidence value of a cue reflects the level of certainty a consumer feels when using the cue to judge a product (Olson & Jacoby, 1972). However, intrinsic cues may have low predictive and confidence values when consumers are unable to assess the product, either due to a lack of ability or knowledge, or because of the unavailability of intrinsic cues, such as in the online shopping environment (Richardson et al., 1994). Researchers argue that consumers tend to rely more heavily on extrinsic cues than intrinsic cues to help product judgments and guide their consumption decisions (Kao et al., 2017; Richardson et al., 1994). As such, extrinsic cues may become essential and prominent for consumers to evaluate a product. Cue utilization theory has been widely applied in previous studies to explain how extrinsic cues such as third-party labels and brands influence consumers’ product evaluations and purchase intentions (Bauer et al., 2013; Feuß et al., 2022). In the specific context of brands that incorporate ICH elements, both ICH elements and brands can be the criteria, as intrinsic and extrinsic cues respectively, for Chinese consumers’ brand and product evaluations. Therefore, this study used the cue utilization theory as the fundamental theory.

ICH Label Effect

Third-party labels or certification labels, as extrinsic cues, play a crucial role in property protection and authentication (Qiu & Zuo, 2023). Previous research has shown that these labels influence consumers’ perceptions of product quality, attitudes, and their purchase intentions (Bhaduri & Stanforth, 2017; Feuß et al., 2022; Huang & Kwon, 2023). China has approximately 100,000 ICH items at various levels (i.e., municipal, province, national, and international levels; Baike, 2024). In 2006, the Ministry of Culture in China has released the official ICH protection label (see Figure A1 in the Appendix) to safeguard the use of ICH items in research, exhibitions, publications, or commercial activities (Baike, 2024). Therefore, any business entity wishing to use the ICH label for commercial purposes must obtain permission through an official application process (Baike, 2024).

From a cue utilization theory lens, the ICH label serves as an extrinsic cue that signifies the official permission and authorization for using ICH elements in products. Third-party or certification labels have been widely used by brands or sellers to reduce consumers’ perceived uncertainties caused by information asymmetry (Feuß et al., 2022). Given the extensive number and long history of ICH items, most consumers are likely to be unfamiliar with the specific ICH elements used in products, making it impossible for them to verify the authenticity of these cultural elements on their own. Therefore, obtaining a certification label authorized by an official entity to utilize ICH elements in products may help a brand alleviate consumers’ uncertainties and assist their product evaluations.

In addition, previous research has highlighted that product exclusivity and uniqueness, driven by intrinsic cues, tend to attract consumers more than extrinsic cues (Bhaduri & Stanforth, 2017). However, these intrinsic cues, such as those from ICH items incorporated into products, are challenging for consumers to assess and access based solely on external appearances, particularly in online shopping environments. Being the physical components of products, these intrinsic cues (i.e., ICH items) often carry a low confidence value for consumers due to limited knowledge of ICH. Moreover, in online contexts, the inability to physically assess these cues diminishes their predictive value (Dodds et al., 1991; Richardson et al., 1994). Consequently, researchers have recommended the use of certification cues to highlight the value of intrinsic product attributes and elicit positive consumer perceptions and behaviors (Simonson & Nowlis, 2000). For example, Bhaduri and Stanforth (2017) showed that labels describing products as artisan-made enhanced the perceived value of these items. Huang and Kwon (2023) found that university fans showed more favorable attitudes and stronger purchase intentions for university-related products with (vs. without) the collegiate licensing label.

In the context of ICH-inspired product consumption, a brand undergoing the authorization process to use ICH elements commercially may not only verify the authenticity of ICH elements in products but also demonstrate its commitment to ICH appreciation and protection (Lenzerini, 2011). Thus, consumers are likely to hold more favorable attitudes and elicit stronger purchase intentions for brands incorporating ICH elements with an ICH label than without the label. We proposed the following hypothesis:

H1. Consumers hold more favorable brand responses in terms of a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions when an ICH label is present (vs. absent).

Social Identity Theory

Tajfel and Turner (1979) proposed the social identity theory and asserted that individuals classify themselves into ingroups—groups they feel a part of—or outgroups—groups they do not feel a part of—to establish their social identities. According to social identity theory, individuals generally show more favorable and supportive attitudes toward their ingroups than outgroups (Gaertner et al., 1989; Hogg & Turner, 1987). In-group members are perceived as similar, while out-group members are seen as different (Hogg & Turner, 1987; Tajfel & Turner, 1979). This group categorization helps individuals define their social identities and thereby enhances or maintains their self-image and self-evaluations, which subsequently influences their behaviors (Gaertner et al., 1989).

Tajfel and Turner (1979) demonstrated that individuals were likely to exhibit a preference for in-group members even when group affiliations were determined by a random or trivial criterion, such as donning a hat of the same color. When a social group becomes prominent, it fosters a sense of connection among its members. This group could be a culture, country, or family. The brand type in terms of country-of-origin (i.e., domestic vs. foreign brands) serves as an extrinsic cue potentially associated with in-group bias, which may influence local consumers’ responses to brands (X. Guo et al., 2019; Hogg & Turner, 1987). Additionally, the adoption of Chinese ICH elements in a product, serving as an intrinsic cue, not only aids in product evaluation by allowing the examination of the ICH elements but also helps determine group affiliation for Chinese consumers, as these ICH elements are specific to Chinese culture. Therefore, social identity theory was applied in this study to further examine the effects of brand types.

Brand Origin Effect

Based on social identity theory, country-of-origin bias is a type of in-group bias that may influence consumer decision-making (X. Guo et al., 2019; Hogg & Turner, 1987). Research indicates that consumers use brands to establish their self-identity (Fournier, 1998). Under the country-of-origin bias, foreign brands can be perceived as out-group brands by local consumers, whereas domestic brands can be viewed as in-group brands (Wei & Yu, 2012). Numerous studies have applied social identity theory to explain consumers’ favorable evaluations and supportive behaviors toward in-group brands (J. Choi et al., 2016; W. J. Choi & Winterich, 2013). This in-group bias has been demonstrated as more pronounced in collectivistic cultures (Gürhan-Canli & Maheswaran, 2000). For example, Japanese consumers preferred domestic products over foreign ones regardless of product quality (Gürhan-Canli & Maheswaran, 2000).

In the context of ICH-inspired product consumption, ICH elements shown on products can be a signal triggering perceptions of in-group membership among local consumers and influence their consumption decisions. Consequently, an in-group brand (i.e., domestic brand) selling an in-group associated product, such as Chinese ICH-inspired products, is likely to be more favorably evaluated by in-group members (i.e., Chinese consumers) than an out-group brand (i.e., foreign brand). X. Guo et al. (2019) found that consumers showed less favorable attitudes toward culturally mixed products with the increase of a foreign brand’s level of globalization. However, the researchers ignored the influence of brand origin. Thus, we proposed the following hypothesis:

H2. Consumers hold more favorable brand responses in terms of a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions for domestic (vs. foreign) brands adopting ICH elements.

Moderating Role of Brand Origin

Existing literature has emphasized the importance of exploring the interaction effects among different extrinsic cues (Bauer et al., 2013; Feuß et al., 2022). Some scholars suggest that stronger extrinsic cues, such as brand or price, might intervene in the effect of labels on consumer responses (Bauer et al., 2013; Feuß et al., 2022). For example, Feuß et al. (2022) demonstrated that the beneficial effect of an eco-label on consumers’ purchase behaviors was more pronounced for products with a high (vs. Low) price premium. Similarly, Bauer et al. (2013) demonstrated that the organic label was more effective for private brands than for global and local brands.

Brand origin can be a potential strong extrinsic cue interplaying with the ICH label to influence consumer brand attitudes and purchase intentions. However, no study has yet investigated this interaction on consumer responses from an in-group bias lens in the ICH-inspired product consumption context. Preliminary studies have shown ways to neutralize negative attitudes toward out-group brands, such as leveraging the moral identity of the in-group (W. J. Choi & Winterich, 2013). Heinberg et al. (2017) pointed out that consumers generally disliked the mixing of global and local elements used in foreign brands. However, this negative perception can be alleviated by displaying out-group members’ respect to diminish in-group bias and enhance the acceptance of out-groups among local consumers (Simon & Schaefer, 2018). Accordingly, attaching the ICH label could be a strategy showing a brand’s respect for ICH resources, especially for out-group brands (i.e., foreign brands). Therefore, we expected that the ICH label effects on consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions would be more pronounced for foreign (vs. domestic) brands, and the following hypothesis was proposed:

H3. Brand origin moderates the relationship between ICH label effects and consumers’ brand responses. Specifically, the ICH label effects on consumers’a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions are much stronger for a foreign (vs. domestic) brand.

Moderating Role of Brand Positioning

In addition to brand origin, fashion brands can generally be classified into two categories based on their marketing positioning: luxury and mainstream (Fuchs et al., 2013). Luxury brands are characterized by exclusivity, high prestige, superior quality, and high pricing (e.g., Louis Vuitton, Prada; Han et al., 2010). Conversely, mainstream brands are aimed at mass-market consumers, emphasizing volume-based sales and affordability, without a focus on exclusivity or high status (e.g., H&M, Zara; Fuchs et al., 2013). Brand positioning acts as a crucial extrinsic cue for consumers to assess brands and their offerings (Park et al., 1996). Larceneux et al. (2012) proposed that a brand integrated with a third-party label created a cobranding effect similar to a collaboration of two brands. However, this collaboration efficiency depends on the specific brand type. Collaboration of two strong brands can be redundant or even cause adverse results due to a ceiling effect, whereas a strong brand co-branding with a weak brand can improve consumer evaluations for the weak brand (Janiszewski & Van Osselaer, 2000). This co-branding effect has been demonstrated by previous research in the label-brand collaboration context (Bao et al., 2011; Larceneux et al., 2012). For example, Larceneux et al. (2012) found that a third-party label positively influenced consumers’ product evaluations, but this effect was more effective when brand equity was high (vs. low) in the context of organic food consumption. Bao et al. (2011) found that store image negatively moderated the effect of label on consumer product evaluations.

Since luxury brands embrace high prestige, good brand image, and high product quality, their products are usually manufactured through sophisticated processes using superior raw materials with precision and care, differentiating them from mass-produced products of mainstream brands (Berthon et al., 2009). Further, luxury brands place significant importance on the values of artistry and craftsmanship, involving with skilled artisans to produce unique and upscale products (Studio, 2023). Therefore, ICH-inspired products are more likely to be designed and manufactured with more attention by luxury brands than mainstream brands. Accordingly, we expected that the ICH label effect would be more pronounced for mainstream than luxury brands, as an ICH label collaborating with a luxury (vs. mainstream) brand can be similar to the cobranding of two strong brands (vs. strong-weak brands). Given the hypothesis that the ICH label would be more effective for foreign versus domestic brands and considering the nascent stage of domestic luxury brands in China (Heine & Gutsatz, 2015), this study primarily focused on the marketing positioning of foreign brands. Thus, the following hypotheses were proposed:

H4. Brand positioning moderates the relationship between ICH label effects and consumers’ brand responses. Specifically, the ICH label effects on consumers’a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions are much stronger for a foreign mainstream (vs. luxury) brand.

Mediation Role of Cultural Respect

Cultural respect refers to the extent to which an entity (e.g., company, brand) considers local consumers’ feelings when utilizing cultural elements commercially, indicating their recognition, appreciation, and protection of these cultural properties (X. Guo et al., 2019). Since obtaining an authentic label can be a complex process which is time-consuming and expensive, brands authorized to use the ICH label may demonstrate their appreciation and willingness to invest in the ICH protection, showing their cultural respect. As such, cultural respect may explain the underlying mechanism on the ICH label effect on consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions.

Further, previous research found that a foreign brand incorporating a local cultural element inappropriately made consumers feel cultural intrusion, which in turn reduced their product and brand evaluations (Nie & Wang, 2021). Since ICH items are more distinctive and valuable than other cultural items, foreign brands utilizing ICH elements may make consumers perceive as an intrusion on the purity and propriety of their culture compared to local brands, thus evoking biased evaluations and responses (D. M. Li et al., 2015; Nie & Wang, 2021). In other words, consumers may feel a sense of cultural respect if foreign brands apply their local cultural elements using a suitable strategy. X. Guo et al. (2019) found that cultural respect positively influenced consumer attitudes toward culturally mixed products from foreign brands. However, factors increasing cultural respect by considering different types of brands remain unexplored.

Given that cultural respect (or cultural intrusion) positively (or negatively) influence consumers’ subsequent product evaluations and purchase intentions (X. Guo et al., 2019; Nie & Wang, 2021), we expected that cultural respect mediates the interaction effects of ICH label and brand origin on consumer responses (i.e., brand attitudes and purchase intentions). Similarly, since a luxury (vs. mainstream) brand name signals meticulous attention to product and service quality to uphold its reputation and image, consumers may assume that every single element, including the ICH, utilized in luxury product manufacturing is handled with respect. Thus, we further predicted that cultural respect mediated the interaction effects of ICH label and brand positioning on consumer responses. We proposed the following hypotheses:

H5. Cultural respect mediates the effect of ICH label on consumers’ brand responses in terms of a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions.

H6. The moderating role of brand origin on the relationship between ICH label effects and consumers’ brand responses in terms of a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions is mediated by cultural respect. Specifically, the mediated relationship is stronger for a foreign brand than for a domestic brand.

H7. The moderating role of brand positioning on the relationship between ICH label effects and consumers’ brand responses in terms of a) brand attitudes and b) purchase intentions is mediated by cultural respect. Specifically, the mediated relationship is stronger for a foreign mainstream brand than for a foreign luxury brand.

Research Model and Overview of the Studies

Figure 1 presents the research model, summarizing the studies and the hypotheses tested. We conducted three online experiments to test H1-H7. Study 1 used a student sample and had two purposes: to examine the main effect of the ICH label (present vs. absent) on consumers’ brand responses including brand attitudes and purchase intentions (H1) and to be used as a pilot test for the manipulation of ICH label for Studies 2 and 3. Studies 2 and 3 aimed to conceptually replicate the findings of Study 1 using stimuli of different brands, products and ICH types based on non-student samples. Further, Studies 2 and 3 extended Study 1 by exploring the moderating effects of brand origin (Study 2) and brand positioning (Study 3), respectively, on consumer responses (H2-H4), and the mediating roles of cultural respect in these relationships (H5-H7). The methods, results, and discussions of each study are described below.

Figure 1.

Research model of this study.

Study 1

Methods

Stimuli Development

This study created two fictitious social media ads for a brand’s ICH-inspired product, varying only by the presence or absence of an ICH label, to serve as experimental stimuli (see Figure A2a in the Appendix). We chose social media advertising because it is a powerful customer-centric digital marketing strategy for brands to achieve business goals (Dencheva, 2023). Little Red Book was selected for this study, as it integrates social media and e-commerce shopping (Zhu, 2023). A pair of gender-neutral casual shoes was selected as the experimental product. An unknown real brand (i.e., PandaPrank CULTURE) was used to rule out the potential confounding effects of brand. Zhuang Brocade, a national-level ICH item, is an exquisite hand-woven craftsmanship by China’s Zhuang ethnic minority and was applied to the product as it has been widely used in fashion (Xinhua, 2021).

Procedure and Participants

Study 1 employed a single-factor (ICH label: present vs. absent) between-subjects design. An online experiment was conducted on Credamo (www.credamo.com), a professional survey platform in China similar to the Qualtrics. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two ICH label conditions (n_present = 63; n_absent = 72). First, all participants were asked to imagine that they were reading a social media ad on the Little Red Book regarding a brand promoting its new ICH-inspired product, posted by the brand’s official account. After reviewing the ad, they were required to answer questions measuring brand attitudes, purchase intentions, potential confounding factor (i.e., brand familiarity), manipulation checks, and demographics. All content in the two fictitious ads was controlled and equivalent, except that ICH label was either present or absent.

A total of 135 college students (41.50% male; M_age = 19.5, SD = .62) were recruited using a convenience sample from a large Southeastern university in China in exchange for extra credits for their participated courses after removing nine participants who failed to answer manipulation check questions correctly. The majority of participants reported monthly income levels of 1,000 to 1,999 RMB (f = 61) and 2,000 to 2,999 RMB (f = 55), followed by a few earning 3,000 RMB or above (f = 10) and below 1,000 RMB (f = 9).

Measurements

Two manipulation questions were asked about whether the product applying the ICH elements had a certified ICH label in the ad by indicating “Yes” or “No,” as well as the type of ICH craftsmanship used in the product from a multiple-choice question. Brand attitudes (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.934) and purchase intentions (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.926) were measured on seven-point Likert scales (1 = “strongly disagree” to 7 = “strongly agree”) adapted from Quach et al. (2022) and MacKenzie and Lutz (1989), respectively. Brand familiarity was measured using a seven-point semantic differential scale with a single item from Quach et al. (2022). Details of the measurement items used in this study are shown in Table A1 in the Appendix.

Results

Manipulation Check

The manipulation was successfully confirmed as all remained participants correctly identified the ICH type and the right choice (i.e., Yes/No) of their assigned ICH label conditions. The mean value of the brand familiarity (M = 2.85, SD = 1.73) indicated that participants were relatively unfamiliar with the brand in Study 1.

Hypotheses Testing

A one-way MANOVA was conducted to test H1. Results revealed a significant multivariate main effect of the ICH label (Wilk’s λ = .93, F (2, 132) = 5.03, p = .008, partial η² = .07) on the dependent variables (i.e., brand attitudes and purchase intentions). The follow-up univariate analyses revealed significant main effects of the ICH label on brand attitudes (F (1, 133) = 10.08, p = .002, partial η² = .07) and purchase intentions (F (1, 133) = 4.39, p = .038, partial η² = .03). Specifically, pairwise comparison results (see Figure 2) showed that participants’ attitudes were significantly more favorable toward the brand with the ICH label (M_present = 4.81) than without the label (M_absent = 4.18), and their purchase intentions were stronger when the ICH label was present (vs. absent; M_present =4.62 > M_absent = 4.18). These results supported H1a and H1b.

Figure 2.

The effects of ICH label on consumer responses.

Brief Discussion

Study 1 aimed to investigate the ICH label effect on consumers’ brand responses. The results demonstrated that the presence of the ICH label had significant positive effects on consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions. In particular, consumers showed more favorable attitudes toward the brand when it advertised its products with the authorized ICH label than without it; and consumers evoked stronger purchase intentions for the brand’s ICH-inspired products when the ICH label was present than when it was absent. The findings verified this study’s prediction regarding H1.

Study 2

Methods

Stimuli Development

Study 2 had two objectives: first, to ensure the robustness by using a different product category, ICH type, and sample population (non-student) to replicate Study 1’s findings (H1); and second, to test H2, H3, H5, and H6. This study utilized two real brands—Peacebird as a domestic brand and Zara as a foreign brand—to manipulate the brand origin. Both brands are in the fast fashion sector with similar market positions but representing different countries of origin. A national-level ICH craftsmanship—tie-dye—was selected to be applied to a product (i.e., phone case) for the study stimuli. Four identical social media ad stimuli that were similar to those in Study 1 were created for Study 2, differing only in brand origin and the presence or absence of ICH label (see Figure A2b in the Appendix).

Pretest

To ensure that the selected brands were perceived similarly in terms of their market positioning, a pretest was conducted using a convenience sample of 76 undergraduate students from a Southeastern university in China. Participants were asked to rate their perceived brand luxuriousness on a 5-point Likert scale adapted from Shin et al. (2024). The paired-samples t-test showed no significant difference in perceived luxuriousness between Peacebird (M_PB = 2.80) and Zara (M_Zara = 2.84; t (75) = −.62, p = .535), confirming the similarity of two brands in market positioning.

Main Study Procedure and Participants

Study 2 employed a 2 (ICH label: present vs. absent) × 2 (brand origin: domestic vs. foreign) between-subjects design. An online experiment was conducted to re-test H1 and test H2, H3, H5, and H6. The participation procedure was similar to Study 1. First, participants were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions (ICH label: n_present = 156, n_absent = 123; brand origin: n_domestic = 146, n_foreign = 133). They were asked to imagine that they were reading a social media ad on the Little Red Book regarding a brand, either a domestic or foreign brand, promoting its new ICH-inspired product (i.e., phone case), posted by the brand’s official account. After randomly viewing one of the four social media ads, participants answered measurement questions of manipulation checks, brand attitudes, purchase intentions, cultural respect, brand familiarity (as a covariate), and demographics.

A total of 279 participants (26.5% males; M_age =29.14, SD = 8.30) were recruited from Credamo’s panel members in exchange for nominal monetary compensation. An announcement was distributed on the Credamo platform, and those who saw the announcement and voluntarily wanted to participate in the experiment would click on it to participate in the experimental study to earn monetary compensation. Table 1 presents participants’ demographic information.

Table 1.

Sample Demographic Characteristics of Study 2 and Study 3.

Categories	Study 2 (n = 279)		Study 3 (n = 275)
Categories	f	%	f	%
Gender
Male	74	26.5	119	43.3
Female	205	73.5	156	56.7
Age
18–25 years old	108	38.7	116	38.5
26–30 years old	72	25.8	71	25.8
31–40 years old	70	25.1	78	28.4
41–50 years old	25	9.0	16	5.8
51 years old or above	4	1.4	4	1.5
Annual household income level
<50,000 RMB	11	3.9	15	5.5
50,000–99,999 RMB	76	27.2	59	21.5
100,000–199,999 RMB	74	26.5	87	31.6
200,000–299,000 RMB	53	19.0	56	20.4
300,000–399,000 RMB	40	14.3	47	17.1
400,000–499,000 RMB	10	3.6	9	3.3
500,000 RMB or above	4	1.4	2	0.7
Education level
Some college degree	22	7.9	29	10.5
Bachelor’s degree	160	57.3	145	52.7
Master’s degree	94	33.7	99	36.0
Doctoral degree	3	1.1	2	0.7

Measurements

The manipulation check measurement for brand origin asked participants to identify the brand’s country-of-origin (The brand in the ad is a domestic brand/a foreign brand/I don’t know). The manipulation check for the brand’s perceived luxuriousness was measured using the same items in the pretest adapted from Shin et al. (2024) on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = “strongly disagree”; 7 = “strongly agree”). The same measures used in Study 1 were adopted to measure brand attitudes (Cronbach’s alpha = .926) and purchase intentions (Cronbach’s alpha = .934). Cultural respect was assessed using D. Li’s (2013) seven-point Likert scale (Cronbach’s alpha = .932). Details on all measurements are shown in Table A1 in the Appendix.

Results

Manipulation Checks

Those who selected wrong answers or “I don’t know” for the brand origin and ICH type (i.e., tie dye) questions were forced to terminate the study. In addition, participants (n = 279) who correctly identified the right choices of their assigned conditions regarding the ICH label remained for data analyses. Thus, the manipulations were confirmed. Further, the independent sample t-test revealed no significant difference in the perceived luxuriousness between the domestic and foreign brands (M_{PB_domestic} = 3.59, M_{Zara_foreign} =3.40; t (277) = .98, p = .330), confirming the successful manipulation of brand positioning.

Main Effects Testing

A two-way MANCOVA was conducted to test H1-H3 with brand familiarity as the covariate. The MANCOVA results revealed significant multivariate main effects of ICH label (Wilk’s λ = .95, F (2, 273) = 7.52, p < .001, partial η² = .05) and brand origin (Wilk’s λ = .90, F (2, 273) = 14.44, p < .001, partial η² = .10), and a significant interaction effect between the ICH label and brand origin (Wilk’s λ = .97, F (2, 273) = 4.04, p = .019, partial η² = .03) on the dependent variables (i.e., brand attitudes and purchase intentions). Consistent with Study 1, the follow-up ANCOVA results revealed significant main effects of the ICH label on brand attitudes (F (1, 274) = 11.16, p < .001, partial η² = .04) and purchase intentions (F (1, 274) = 12.81, p < .001, partial η² = .05), indicating that participants showed more favorable responses for brands with (vs. without) the ICH label (brand attitudes: M_presence = 5.01 > M_absence = 4.61; purchase intentions M_presence = 4.78 > M_absence = 4.23). Thus, the results supported H1. Further, significant main effects of brand origin were found on brand attitudes (F (1, 274) = 28.81, p < .001, partial η² = .10) and purchase intentions (F (1, 274) = 12.42, p < .001, partial η² = .04). The results revealed that participants exhibited more favorable attitudes and stronger purchase intentions for a domestic brand (M_ATT = 5.15; M_PI = 4.79) than a foreign brand (M_ATT = 4.48; M_PI = 4.23), thus supporting H2a and H2b.

Interaction Effects Testing

The interaction effects between the ICH label and brand origin on brand attitudes (F (1, 274) = 4.14, p = .043, partial η² = .02) and purchase intentions (F (1, 274) = 12.62, p = .005, partial η² = .03) were significant. The effects of the ICH label were significantly pronounced for a foreign brand than for a domestic brand (see Figure 3). Specifically, for a foreign brand, participants showed significantly more favorable brand attitudes (M_present = 4.80 > M_absent = 4.16, MD [mean difference] = 0.64, p < .001) and stronger purchase intentions (M_present = 4.72 > M_absent = 3.74, MD = .98, p < .001) for a brand with (vs. without) the ICH label. In contrast, for a domestic brand, the differences in brand attitudes (M_present = 5.22 > M_absent = 5.07, MD = .16, p = .347) and purchase intentions (M_present = 4.85 > M_absent = 4.73, MD = .12, p = .580) between two ICH label conditions were insignificant. Therefore, the results supported H3a and H3b.

Figure 3.

Interaction effects between ICH label and brand origin on consumer responses.Note. Interaction of ICH label (present vs. absent) and brand origin (domestic vs. foreign) on brand attitudes and purchase intentions (Study 2).

Meditation Testing

To test H5 regarding the mediation role of cultural respect between the ICH label effect and brand responses, two separate analyses using Process Model 4 with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and 5,000 bootstrap samples (Hayes, 2017) were conducted on SPSS for brand attitudes and purchase intentions, respectively. The results showed a significant effect of the ICH label on cultural respect (b = .31, SE = .13, t = 2.45, p = .015), and significant effects of cultural respect on brand attitudes (b = .59, SE = .05, t = 12.61, p < .001) and purchase intentions (b = 0.63, SE = 0.06, t = 10.02, p < .001). Further, the direct (b = 0.23, SE = 0.10, t = 2.28, 95% CIs [0.03, 0.43]) and indirect effects (b = 0.19, bootstrap SE = 0.08; 95% CIs [0.04, 0.35]) of the ICH label on brand attitudes were significant as the 95% CIs did not include zero. Similarly, the direct (b = 0.35, SE = 0.14, t = 2.59, 95% CIs [0.08, 0.62]) and indirect effects (b = 0.20, bootstrap SE = 0.09; 95% CIs [0.04, 0.37]) of the ICH label on purchase intentions were also significant. The results confirmed the mediation role of cultural respect. Thus, H5a and H5b were supported.

Next, to test H6 regarding the mediation role of cultural respect between the interaction effect and consumer responses, two separate analyses were conducted for brand attitudes and purchase intentions, respectively, using Process Model 8 (Hayes, 2017). The results revealed that the indirect interaction effects between the ICH label and brand origin through cultural respect on brand attitudes (IE = 0.34, bootstrap SE = 0.14, 95% CI [0.07, 0.63]) and purchase intentions (IE = 0.37, bootstrap SE = 0.15, 95% CI [0.08, 0.69]) were significant. The ICH label × brand origin interaction positively and significantly influenced cultural respect (b = 0.61, SE = 0.24, t = 2.54, p = .01 < .05), which in turn positively influenced brand attitudes (b = 0.55, SE = 0.05, t = 10.99, p < .001) and purchase intentions (b = 0.61, SE = 0.07, t = 8.96, p < .001). However, the direct effects became insignificant when including the mediator of cultural respect (b_ATT = 0.15, SE = 0.20, p = .46, 95% CI [−0.25, 0.55]; b_PI = 0.49, SE = 0.27, p = .07, 95% CI [−0.05, 1.03]). Therefore, cultural respect fully mediated the interaction effects on brand responses, supporting H6a and H6b (see Table 2).

Table 2.

Direct and Indirect Effects of the Interaction between ICH Label and Brand Origin.

Conditional direct and indirect effects	Brand origin	Effect	SE	LLCI	ULCI
Brand attitudes
Direct effect	Domestic	0.16	0.14	−0.11	0.43
Direct effect	Foreign	0.31	0.15	0.02	0.60
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Domestic	−0.01	0.09	−0.17	0.16
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Foreign	0.33	0.11	0.13	0.56
Moderated mediation effects		0.34	0.14	0.07	0.63
Purchase intentions
Direct effect	Domestic	0.12	0.19	−0.24	0.49
Direct effect	Foreign	0.61	0.20	0.22	1.00
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Domestic	−0.01	0.09	−0.18	0.17
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Foreign	0.36	0.12	0.13	0.63
Moderated mediation effects		0.37	0.15	0.08	0.69

Brief Discussion

Study 2 aimed to replicate Study 1’s results in terms of H1 using another product and ICH element and to further examine H2, H3, H5, and H6. First, the results were consistent with Study 1 and demonstrated that the presence of the ICH label had significant positive effects on consumers’ brand responses in terms of brand attitudes and purchase intentions. In addition, Study 2 further examined the effects of brand origin on brand responses (H2), the interaction effects of the ICH label and brand origin on consumer responses (H3), and the mediation roles of cultural respect (H5 and H6). In particular, consumers showed more favorable attitudes and purchase intentions for a domestic brand than a foreign brand, and this brand origin effect interacted with the ICH label effect influencing consumer brand responses. Specifically, the ICH label effects were more effective on consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions for a foreign brand than for a domestic brand. Further, cultural respect fully mediated the effect of the ICH label on consumer brand responses as well as the interaction effect between the ICH label and brand origin on brand responses.

Study 3

Methods

Stimuli Development

Study 3 aimed to replicate the results of Studies 1 and 2 regarding H1 and H5. Further, Study 3 tested the moderation effect of brand positioning (H4) and the mediating role of cultural respect (H7). This study utilized two real foreign brands, Uniqlo and Louis Vuitton, representing mainstream and luxury brands respectively. Uniqlo was selected because it was one of the largest global mainstream fashion brands in 2023 (Strategy & Growth, 2024). In contrast, Louis Vuitton was selected for its recognition as the most popular and influential luxury brand among top contenders in 2023 (RetailBoss, 2024). A different product (T-shirt) and national-level ICH item (Peking Opera) were selected in Study 3 to enhance the external validity. Peking Opera is a quintessence of Chinese culture that integrates singing, reciting, dancing, and martial arts (Dong, 2019). Four identical ad stimuli (see Figure A2c in the Appendix) were developed, similar to those in Study 2 but with different foreign brands.

Pretest

To ensure that the selected brands were representative of luxury and mainstream brands respectively, a pretest was conducted using a convenience sample of 76 undergraduates. Participants rated their perceived brand luxuriousness using the same measure from Study 2 (Shin et al., 2024). The paired samples t-test showed that students perceived Louis Vuitton (M_LV = 3.74) as significantly more luxurious than Uniqlo (M_Uniqlo = 2.59; t (75) = 8.29, p < .001), confirming the success of the manipulation.

Main Study Procedure and Participants

Study 3 employed a 2 (ICH label: present vs. absent) × 2 (foreign brand positioning: mainstream vs. luxury) between-subjects design. Participants in Study 3 were again recruited from Credamo’s panel members. An announcement was distributed on the Credamo platform, and those who voluntarily wanted to participate in the experiment for minimal monetary compensation clicked on the announcement link to complete the study. A total of 275 participants (43.3% males; M_age = 28.83, SD = 7.40) were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions (ICH label: n_present = 135, n_absent = 140; brand positioning: n_mainstream = 133, n_luxury = 142). Table 1 details the participants’ demographics.

The participation procedure from Study 2 was replicated in Study 3, but with four different social media ad stimuli. First, participants were guided to imagine that they were reading a social media ad on the Little Red Book regarding a brand, either a luxury or mainstream brand, promoting its new ICH-inspired product (i.e., T-shirt), posted by the brand’s official account. After reading the ads, participants answered manipulation check questions, brand attitudes, purchase intentions, cultural respect, covariate (i.e., brand familiarity), and demographic characteristics.

Measurements

The same measures used in Studies 1 and 2 were adopted for manipulation checks (i.e., ICH label condition, ICH type, brand positioning), brand attitudes (Cronbach’s alpha = .893), purchase intentions (Cronbach’s alpha = .902), and cultural respect (Cronbach’s alpha = .920). Details on the measures are shown in Table A1 in the Appendix.

Results

Manipulation Checks

The manipulations were successfully confirmed as those who accurately identified the right ICH type (i.e., Peking Opera) and their assigned ICH label conditions remained for data analyses. Further, participants perceived the luxury brand (i.e., Louis Vuitton) as significantly more luxurious than the mainstream brand (i.e., Uniqlo), as shown by the independent samples t-test result, t (273) = −8.03, M_LV = 4.92 > M_Uniqlo = 3.75, p < .001.

Main Effects Testing

A two-way MANCOVA was conducted to test H1 and H4, with brand familiarity as a covariate. The MANCOVA results revealed a significant multivariate main effect of the ICH label (Wilk’s λ = .95, F (2, 269) = 6.48, p = .002, partial η² = .05) and a significant interaction effect of the ICH label and foreign brand positioning (Wilk’s λ = .97, F (2, 269) = 6.61, p = .002, partial η² = .05) on the dependent variables (i.e., brand attitudes and purchase intentions). Consistent with Studies 1 and 2, the follow-up ANCOVA results revealed significant main effects of the ICH label on brand attitudes (F (1, 270) = 11.52, p = .001, partial η² = .04) and purchase intentions (F (1, 270) = 8.75, p = .003, partial η² = .03). The results demonstrated that participants showed more favorable brand attitudes and stronger purchase intentions for brands with the ICH label (M_ATT = 4.60; M_PI = 4.20) than those without the label (M_ATT = 4.20; M_PI = 3.77; MD_ATT = .40, p = .001; MD_PI = .43, p = .003). These results supported H1.

Interaction Effects Testing

The interaction effects between the ICH label and brand positioning were significant on brand attitudes (F (1, 270) = 3.83, p = .05, partial η² = .01) and purchase intentions (F (1, 270) = 13.24, p < .001, partial η² = .05; see Figure 4). Specifically, for a foreign mainstream brand, participants showed significantly more favorable brand attitudes (M_present = 4.62 > M_absent = 4.00; MD = .62, p < .001) and stronger purchase intentions (M_present =4.56 > M_absent = 3.60; MD = .96, p < .001) when the ICH label was present (vs. absent); whereas for a foreign luxury brand, the differences in brand attitudes (M_present = 4.58 > M_absent = 4.41; MD = .17, p = .299) and purchase intentions (M_present = 3.85 < M_absent =3.94; MD = −.09, p = .628) were not statistically significant. These results showed that the ICH label effects on consumer brand responses became much more effective for a foreign mainstream brand, whereas the label effects were attenuated for a foreign luxury brand. Thus, H4a and H4b were supported.

Figure 4.

Interaction effects between ICH label and foreign brand level on consumer responses.Note. Interaction of ICH label (present vs. absent) and foreign brand level (mainstream vs. luxury) on brand attitudes and purchase intentions (Study 3).

Mediation Testing

To re-test H5 and test H7 regarding the mediation role of cultural respect as well as the moderated mediation effect of the interaction between the ICH label and brand positioning on consumer responses through cultural respect, Process Model 4 and Model 8 with 95% CIs and 5,000 bootstrap samples (Hayes, 2017) were conducted. The Process Model 4 results revealed that the direct effects of the ICH label on brand attitudes (b = 0.16, SE = 0.10, t = 1.55, 95% CIs [−0.04, 0.37]) and purchase intentions (b = 0.19, SE = 0.14, t = 1.35, 95% CIs [−0.09, 0.46]) were insignificant. However, the indirect effects of the ICH label through cultural respect on brand attitudes (b = 0.21, bootstrap SE = 0.06, 95% CIs [0.10, 0.34]) and purchase intentions (b = 0.24, bootstrap SE = 0.07, 95% CIs [0.11, 0.40]) were significant. The results were consistent with Study 2 showing that cultural respect fully mediated the ICH label effects on brand attitudes and purchase intentions, supporting H5.

To test H7, two separate analyses with different dependent variables of brand attitudes and purchase intentions, respectively, were conducted using Process Model 8. Results revealed that the indirect interaction effects between the ICH label and brand positioning through cultural respect on brand attitudes (IE = −0.10, bootstrap SE = 0.12, 95% CI [−0.34, 0.11]) and purchase intentions (IE = −0.11, bootstrap SE = 0.13, 95% CI [−0.39, 0.13]) were not significant (see Table 3). Moreover, the ICH label × foreign brand positioning interaction results showed that the ICH label effect on cultural respect did not differ significantly between foreign mainstream and luxury brands (b = −0.23, SE = 0.26, t = −0.90, p = .37), rejecting H7a and H7b.

Table 3.

Direct and Indirect Effects of the Interaction between ICH Label and Brand Positioning.

Conditional direct and indirect effects	Brand positioning	Effect	SE	LLCI	ULCI
Brand attitudes
Direct effect	Mainstream	0.36	0.15	0.06	0.65
Direct effect	Luxury	0.01	0.14	−0.27	0.29
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Mainstream	0.26	0.09	0.10	0.46
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Luxury	0.16	0.08	0.01	0.32
Moderated mediation effects		−0.10	0.12	−0.34	0.11
Purchase intentions
Direct effect	Mainstream	0.67	0.19	0.29	1.05
Direct effect	Luxury	−0.28	0.18	−0.64	0.08
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Mainstream	0.30	0.11	0.11	0.52
Indirect effect through cultural respect	Luxury	0.18	0.09	0.02	0.36
Moderated mediation effects		−0.11	0.13	−0.39	0.13

Brief Discussion

Study 3 replicated the findings of previous studies by demonstrating significant direct and indirect effects of the ICH label on brand responses (brand attitudes and purchase intentions). These effects were mediated by cultural respect. Further, Study 3 explored how foreign brand positioning moderated the relationship between the ICH label and brand responses. The results indicated that the ICH label was significantly more effective at enhancing brand responses for mainstream brands than luxury brands. However, the moderated mediation effect through cultural respect was not supported, as the ICH label increased cultural respect consistently across both mainstream and luxury brands.

General Discussions

This study combined cue utilization and social identity theories to explore the role of extrinsic cues in terms of the ICH label and brand types on consumer brand responses in the context of ICH-inspired product consumption. First, our findings show that presenting the ICH label can effectively enhance consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions. This finding is consistent with previous research based on cue utilization theory, which suggests that a third-party label affirms the authenticity of the ICH elements used by brands (Bhaduri & Stanforth, 2017; Huang & Kwon, 2023; Wang et al., 2023). The authorized label improves consumers’ attitudes toward the brands and elicits their willingness to purchase products featuring ICH elements. Further, our study extends Qiu and Zuo’s (2023) findings regarding the ICH label effect in the tourism to the domain of ICH-inspired brand evaluations using experimental studies.

Second, our study offers insights into Chinese consumers’ responses toward different types of brands adopting Chinese ICH elements. Our findings show that Chinese consumers, in general, exhibit more favorable attitudes and stronger purchase intentions for domestic brands than foreign brands incorporating the same ICH elements. This preference confirms the existence of in-group biased responses toward foreign versus domestic brands (Hogg & Turner, 1987). Moreover, our study further explored the interaction between the ICH label and brand types by investigating whether the ICH label can eliminate consumers’ in-group biased brand responses. The results indicate that the ICH label effects on consumers’ brand responses vary by brand origin. Specifically, attaching an ICH label benefits foreign brands more than domestic brands. These findings partially align with previous research examining the influences of brands’ globalness on consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions for brands and products using Chinese cultural elements (X. Guo et al., 2019; Laroche et al., 2020). However, these results do not imply that an ICH label is unnecessary for domestic brands. Instead, for unknown or newly launched domestic brands utilizing ICH elements, an ICH label can be an effective way to appeal to consumers by eliciting favorable brand attitudes and purchase intentions.

Building on key findings about the ICH label’s effectiveness for foreign brands, this study further explored the moderating role of foreign brand positionings by comparing the ICH label effects on consumer responses to foreign mainstream versus luxury brands. Our findings indicate that attaching an ICH label can effectively enhance consumers’ brand responses for foreign mainstream brands, but this effect does not hold for foreign luxury brands. This label-brand collaboration effect is in line with previous cobranding research, suggesting a ceiling effect from the collaboration of two strong brands; In contrast, a mainstream brand collaborating with the authorized ICH label reveals a weak-strong cobranding effect, where the ICH label effect spills over to the weaker brand, enhancing consumer responses (Janiszewski & Van Osselaer, 2000; Park et al., 1996). In addition, findings regarding the moderating roles of brand types echo with previous researchers’ arguments that some prominent extrinsic cues may interfere with the label effect, providing further empirical evidence through the investigation of two particular brand types (brand origin and brand positioning) in the ICH-inspired product consumption literature (Bauer et al., 2013; Feuß et al., 2022).

Finally, this study highlights the mediation role of cultural respect in explaining how the ICH label affects consumer brand responses. Our findings show that the ICH label can effectively increase consumers’ brand responses through the mediation of cultural respect, particularly for foreign brands, including both foreign luxury and mainstream brands. These results provide preliminary evidence and extend previous research by demonstrating the efficacy of ICH label in expressing a brand’s respect for local culture, thereby enhancing positive responses from local consumers (X. Guo et al., 2019; Qiu & Zuo, 2023).

Theoretical Implications

This study offers several theoretical contributions for brands incorporating cultural elements. First, this study empirically investigated a widely used yet overlooked product category—ICH-inspired products—by examining the impact of the ICH label on brand responses based on the integration of cue utilization and social identity theories, extending their applications to consumer research in the cultural-inspired product consumption. It explains how the ICH label influences consumer brand attitudes and purchase intentions and offers strategies to counteract consumers’ in-group biases. Our findings deepen the understanding of consumer responses to various brands and their ICH-integrated products. Moreover, this study provides further theoretical and empirical support regarding the underlying mechanisms behind the relationships between the interactions of ICH label and brand types on consumer brand responses. From the lens of cue utilization theory, both extrinsic cues including the ICH label and brand types are crucial factors used to explain how ads featuring the ICH label evoke consumer brand responses. Given that brand origin can evoke local consumers’ in-group bias, our research further contributes to the brand marketing literature by providing an effective approach to overcome local consumers’ biased responses for foreign brands (X. Guo et al., 2019).

Next, through employing experimental methods, this study provides robust causal evidence supporting cue utilization and social identity theories in the context of the interaction between ICH labels and brand types on brand responses. This strengthens the theoretical framework and complements existing research on culturally inspired products. Previous studies have argued that extrinsic cues are more prominent than intrinsic cues influencing consumer product and brand evaluations (Dodds et al., 1991; Richardson et al., 1994). Our findings provide empirical evidence showing the prominence of extrinsic cues, as intrinsic cues (e.g., product physical attributes) were consistently controlled across study stimuli. These findings indicate the necessity of displaying additional extrinsic cues to enhance consumers’ brand and product evaluations when intrinsic cues are low in predictive (e.g., online shopping environment) or confidence values (e.g., limited knowledge about ICH items). Further, as the brand cue has been suggested as a more prominent cue than the label cue by previous research, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of moderators (i.e., brand origin and brand positioning) on the relationship between ICH label effect and consumer responses, revealing that the ICH label significantly benefited foreign brands over domestic ones. Notably, this effect was more pronounced for foreign mainstream brands than for luxury brands. These findings not only extend cue utilization theory and social identity theory but also enrich cobranding literature.

Managerial Implications

This research also has managerial implications for marketing practice. In the digital commerce era, effectively conveying information about ICH elements incorporated in products, along with a brand’s appreciation for cultural diversity and heritage, is crucial for both consumers and marketers. Attaching an authorized ICH label to a brand’s products that utilize these elements can evoke consumers’ favorable attitudes toward the brand and increase purchase intentions. This label provides consumers a signal regarding the ICH element’s authenticity, a cue of which is high in both predictive and confidence values to evaluate the ICH-inspired products compared to the condition without the ICH label. One reason might be consumer unfamiliarity with some ICH items, given that China, as a leading repository of over 100,000 ICH items at various levels, raises questions about the authenticity and appropriate representation of these elements in products without compromising their inherent value. Another reason, as demonstrated by our study, the ICH label can be an effective way to show brands appreciation of local cultural heritage and diversity, which in turn elicit their brand responses. In addition, this study offers insightful implications for domestic brands, particularly new or lesser known ones. Specifically, such brands should demonstrate their authorized use of ICH elements in their products, either through social media advertising or within product descriptions in online shopping environments. As the effect of the ICH label on consumers’ positive brand responses is mediated by cultural respect, other indicators that highlight a brand’s value or appreciation for local culture—such as signals indicating that ICH elements are authorized by ICH inheritors—may also be effective in eliciting positive responses from local consumers. Further, given that the ICH label effect was significantly stronger for foreign brands than for domestic brands, it is advisable for foreign brands to obtain authorization to use ICH elements and clearly display the ICH label. This not only shows their respect for local culture but also enhances brand responses. In sum, the ICH label for ICH-inspired product and brand responses are of great importance in the practice of the present market. Utilizing these cues can be particularly advantageous for foreign and lesser-known domestic brands.

Limitation and Future Research

This study has several limitations. First, we focused exclusively on Chinese consumers and overlooked how brands adopting Chinese ICH items or culturally specific products (e.g., silk, pottery, foods, etc.) might affect consumers from other cultures. Thus, our findings may not be generalizable to other cultural contexts. Future research may further explore this phenomenon across diverse cultural settings or conduct a reverse study to examine the Chinese ICH label effect on brand responses in countries where the brands originate. For example, it would be insightful to study Japanese or French consumers’ responses to brands like Uniqlo or Louis Vuitton when these brands incorporate Chinese ICH elements. Second, this study did not examine how Chinese consumers respond to brands incorporating ICH elements from other countries. Future research could examine how the label and its interaction with brand types affect consumer responses when brands adopt ICH elements from foreign cultures. Third, this study did not compare the impact of different levels of ICH items. Future research should consider how varying levels (i.e., municipal, province, national, and international levels) of ICH items or different types of ICH labels (e.g., licensing agencies, organizations, and levels) impact consumer responses. Fourth, this study focused solely on the ICH label as an extrinsic cue for cultural respect. Future research could explore the effects of additional information included in the ICH label or other cues (e.g., featuring ICH inheritors or collaborating with inheritors’ official social media accounts). Additionally, researchers could consider other moderating factors (e.g., consumer characteristics), mediating factors (e.g., brand image, attitudes toward ICH), and confounding variables (e.g., cultural literacy, number of international trips, frequency of foreign or luxury brand purchases). Finally, this study employed an experimental method, measuring consumer perceptions (e.g., cultural respect, brand responses) using existing scales, which limited the depth of insights. Therefore, future research could employ qualitative methods, such as interviews or focus groups, to gain a more nuanced understanding of consumers’ actual perceptions of brands adopting cultural elements, especially regarding culturally related constructs, such as cultural respect and cultural appropriation.

Footnotes

Appendix

Table A1.

Measurements and Item Wordings of the Variables Used in This Study.

Variables	Items	Sources
Dependent variables
Brand attitudes	I am favorable to [brand name]. [Brand name] is a good brand. I like [brand name].	Quach et al. (2022)
Purchase intentions	I will recommend the products of the brand presented in the social media ad to people around me. I want to purchase the products of the brand presented in the social media ad. I will consider purchasing the products of the brand presented in the social media ad, for sure.	MacKenzie and Lutz (1989)
Cultural respect (Studies 2&3)	The adoption of [specific ICH] by [brand name] reflects a favorable view of Chinese culture by [brand name]. The adoption of [specific ICH] by [brand name] communicates respectful attitudes of Chinese culture by [brand name]. The adoption of [specific ICH] by [brand name] reveals the positive attitudes [brand name] shows toward Chinese culture.	D. Li (2013)
Manipulation check questions
ICH label	Does the product promoted by the brand in the above social media ad have an authentic ICH label? - Yes - No - I don’t know	Developed by the authors
ICH type (Study 1)	What is the specific ICH item adopted by the product in the brand’s social media ad? - Zhuang brocade - Song brocade - Shu brocade - I don’t know	Developed by the authors
ICH type (Study 2)	What is the specific ICH item adopted by the product in the brand’s social media ad? - Lan Tie-dye - Za Tie-dye - Yin Tie-dye - I don’t know	Developed by the authors
ICH type (Study 3)	What is the specific ICH item adopted by the product in the brand’s social media ad? - Yue Opera - Yong Opera - I don’t know	Developed by the authors
Brand origin (Study 2)	What is the origin of the brand in the social media ad? - A foreign brand - A domestic brand - I don’t know	Developed by the authors
Perceived luxurious (Studies 2&3)	I perceive the brand [brand name] as luxurious. I perceive the brand [brand name] as high-class.	Shin et al. (2024)
Covariate
Brand familiarity	To me, the [brand name] is _____. “Not familiar at all” to “Very familiar”	Quach et al. (2022)

Note. The [brand name] was replaced by the specific brands used in Studies 1 to 3 in each experimental condition. The [specific ICH] was replaced by the specific ICH items integrated in the products in Studies 1 to 3.

ORCID iD

Xiao Huang

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Research Foundation of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, China [No. Y202351429], and 2023 Domestic Visiting Engineer “University-Enterprise Cooperation Project” of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, China [No. FG2023138].

Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Data Availability

Data is available upon request.

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The Interplay Between the Intangible Cultural Heritage Label and Brand Types on Chinese Consumer Brand Responses

Abstract

Keywords

Introduction

Theoretical Review and Hypotheses Development

Cue Utilization Theory

ICH Label Effect

Social Identity Theory

Brand Origin Effect

Moderating Role of Brand Origin

Moderating Role of Brand Positioning

Mediation Role of Cultural Respect

Research Model and Overview of the Studies

Study 1

Methods

Stimuli Development

Procedure and Participants

Measurements

Results

Manipulation Check

Hypotheses Testing

Brief Discussion

Study 2

Methods

Stimuli Development

Pretest

Main Study Procedure and Participants

Measurements

Results

Manipulation Checks

Main Effects Testing

Interaction Effects Testing

Meditation Testing

Brief Discussion

Study 3

Methods

Stimuli Development

Pretest

Main Study Procedure and Participants

Measurements

Results

Manipulation Checks

Main Effects Testing

Interaction Effects Testing

Mediation Testing

Brief Discussion

General Discussions

Theoretical Implications

Managerial Implications

Limitation and Future Research

Footnotes

Appendix

ORCID iD

Funding

Conflicting Interests

Data Availability

References