Continuing the research stream of Gwinner and Eaton (1999) and Kwon, Ratneshwar et al. (2016), this study proposes a 3x2x2 mixed model experiment to extend the investigation of sport sponsorship‟s influence on the image of the sponsoring brand by perceived brand localness. It is assumed that a brand‟s country of origin presents an integral part of its image. Perceived brand localness either ease or hamper the assessment of image congruence with the sponsored entity via the brand‟s country of origin. As a result, the influence is supposed to be larger for brands local in the sponsored team‟s home country, and lower for brands non-local. A further distinction is drawn for nonlocal brands regarding their belonging to either a western or eastern cultural sphere. The influence is supposed to be less low for brands in the same sphere and additionally low for brands in different spheres. Furthermore, the study replicates Kwon, Ratneshwar et al. (2016)‟s finding that the increase in image congruence is moderated by functional similarity in a cross-country setting. The experiment is conducted in Germany, the UK, China, and Japan with a corporate brand‟s shirt sponsoring of a soccer team as stimulus.

ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
 RESEARCH METHOD
 ANALYSIS
 EXPECTED RESULTS & CONTRIBUTION
 TABLES
 LITERATURE

• Adam Langer(Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany)