The impact of culture on brand perceptions: a six‐nation study

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how cultural differences affect the perception of a brand.

Design/methodology/approach

A study was carried out in six countries among different involvement groups. The study uses Hofstede's cultural dimensions and Aaker's brand personality dimensions to see if brand perceptions of a product are similar among all six countries.

Findings

This study provides clear evidence that a same brand is perceived differently in different cultures in spite of its identical positioning. This means that if a firm wishes to achieve the same brand perception in different countries, the firm needs to create brand positioning strategies that emphasize the characteristics that enable consumers to perceive the product in a similar way.

Originality/value

This paper examines the perception of a single brand in the context of cultural dimensions in a global setting – in particular in six countries on three continents.

Citation

Foscht, T., Maloles, C., Swoboda, B., Morschett, D. and Sinha, I. (2008), "The impact of culture on brand perceptions: a six‐nation study", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 131-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610420810875052