Abstract
There is ample research on how consumers respond to controversial events that occur at the international level. However, there is a dearth of literature examining the longitudinal effects of such controversial events. This research attempts to fill such gap. We examine the longitudinal effects of animosity, positive anticipated emotions, negative anticipated emotions and subjective norms on the willingness to buy products from a country that is perceived as a transgressor. More specifically we study the longitudinal effects of such variables in Kuwait in response to the controversy that involved publishing cartoon that depicted the prophet Mohammed. We find that in period 1 the subjective norms attached to avoiding Danish products, animosity and the negative emotions anticipated from purchasing Danish products reduce consumers’ willingness to buy Danish products. However, we find a different pattern of relationships in period 2. Animosity and subjective norms are no longer related to consumers’ willingness to buy, while positive and negative anticipated emotions are.