The Roles of Corporate Societal Marketing on Brand Recall and Evaluation : A Focus on Small- and Medium-sized Exporters *

Purpose – Although exporting is a feasible way of internationalization, not all exporters can succeed in export marketplaces. Specifically, small- and medium-sized exporters often face liabilities of foreignness, smallness, and newness in their export marketplaces. Therefore, these exporters need to develop a strategic option to overcome the liabilities and achieve long-term success. The purpose of the current study is to explicate how small- and medium-sized exporters’ societal marketing efforts contribute to enhancing local buyers’ brand recall and evaluation. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing principally on the stakeholder theory and the brand-equity theory, the present study developed propositions. These propositions clarifies how small- and medium-sized exporters societal marketing efforts influence branding outcomes in export marketplaces. Findings - First, a small- and medium-sized exporter’s societal marketing efforts positively influence local buyers’ recall of its brand. Second, a small- and medium-sized exporter’s societal marketing efforts positively influence local buyers’ evaluation of its brand. Research implications or Originality - The results of the current study suggested that small- and medium-sized exporters’ societal marketing efforts be a useful strategy to overcome liabilities of foreignness, smallness, and newness. In addition, these efforts are lucrative mechanisms in export marketplaces.