What Makes a Product Cool? Consumer Perceptions of Product Coolness Across Three Cultures

Abstract

Coolness can be a significant product success factor in today's global markets. Yet the field lacks a systematic understanding of consumers’ interpretations of product coolness across cultures and of the factors that drive possible cultural variations. The authors conduct two studies (with Anglophone consumers) to conceptualize product coolness, followed by two cross-cultural surveys (in cultures that use the English word “cool” in everyday language) that test an integrative framework for product coolness. The framework replicates across the sampled cultures, which include U.S., German, and Chinese consumers. Major findings are as follows: (1) Consumers universally interpret coolness in two largely distinct ways: A product is cool if it generates excitement or admiration (personal interpretation of coolness) or if its appeal is socially validated (social interpretation of coolness), with the former interpretation being generally more pronounced. (2) These interpretations universally correlate with distinct product attributes often associated with coolness and with desirable and undesirable coolness-related outcomes. (3) Robust cross-cultural variations emerge, linked to specific cultural values. Chinese consumers subscribe to the social interpretation, rely on exclusivity as a driver of coolness, and desire cool products to a larger extent than U.S. and German consumers. This finding can be primarily explained by Chinese consumers’ stronger orientation toward ascription (vs. achievement).