Abstract: Transnational brands often find it difficult to enter the mind of consumer in host country (e.g., trust and purchase) due to trade barriers and cultural differences. Based on the perspective of cultural identity, this paper proposes a prediction model for transnational brands to gain brand trust and purchase intention of consumers in host country through the cultural (identity and emotional) positioning strategy of home country. Empirical results from large sample data show that transnational brands can use cultural resources of home country to enter the mind of consumer in host country through identity positioning strategy and emotion positioning strategy, and drive the brand trust and purchase intention of consumers in host country. Among them, using the regional characteristics and values of the brand's home country to implement identity positioning, and using the cultural symbols, regional characteristics and values of the brand's home country to implement emotional positioning, can drive brand trust of consumers in host country. Compared with emotional positioning, the identity positioning of home culture has a greater impact on brand trust of consumers in host country. As environmental factors, the level of home country's economic development and the matching of the brand product type and home country's economic form, have different effects on brand trust of consumers in host country driven by the (identity and emotional) positioning strategy of home country. These conclusions are helpful for transnational brands to develop internationalization positioning strategies based on cultural resources of home country.

Key words: cultural resources of home country, positioning strategy, brand trust, purchase intention, cultural identity