TERRITORIAL BRANDING OF REGIONAL PRODUCTS: TRADEMARKS, COPYRIGHT AND CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF AUTHENTICITY

Abstract

This study examines how intellectual property protection shapes consumer perceptions of Ukrainian regional products within territorial branding. It combines doctrinal and comparative legal analysis with an evidence-calibrated simulation based on prior studies, public reports and consumer-generated content. A synthetic dataset of 428 observations covered four scenarios: neutral packaging, territorial branding, territorial branding with trademark information, and territorial branding with trademark and copyright information. The study also introduced a Legal-Perception Gap Index measuring differences between the legally recognized function of an intellectual property instrument and the function attributed to it by consumers. Five of seven hypotheses were supported. Territorial brand identifiability strongly increased perceived authenticity, trademark information strengthened trust, and copyright information enhanced perceived distinctiveness. Trust was the strongest predictor of purchase intention, whereas intellectual property awareness did not moderate this relationship and legal knowledge did not increase willingness to pay. The findings show that coordinated legal protection and accurate communication are essential for effective territorial branding.