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The impact of culture on millennials' attitudes towards luxury brands: evidence from Tokyo and Shanghai

Cheng Lu (College of Fashion and Design, Donghua University, Shanghai, China) (Key Laboratory of Clothing Design and Technology, Donghua University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China)
Zhencong Sang (College of Fashion and Design, Donghua University, Shanghai, China)
Kun Song (College of Fashion and Design, Donghua University, Shanghai, China) (Key Laboratory of Clothing Design and Technology, Donghua University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China)
Kazuo Kikuchi (School of Commerce, MEIJI University, Tokyo, Japan)
Ippei Machida (School of Commerce, MEIJI University, Tokyo, Japan)

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics

ISSN: 1355-5855

Article publication date: 5 January 2022

Issue publication date: 22 November 2022

1382

Abstract

Purpose

Based on the theory of social identity mechanism, this study aimed to investigate the associations with millennial consumers' need for uniqueness (NFU), susceptibility to peer influence (SPI) and attitudes towards luxury brands (ALB) under the cross-cultural context. The mediating effect of fashion innovativeness (FI) and the moderating effect of culture were examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study were collected through a survey from 217 millennials in Shanghai and 268 millennials in Tokyo. Moderation analysis and mediation analysis using Hayes PROCESS macro were applied to test proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Results show that NFU and SPI have a significantly positive effect on millennials' ALB, and fashion innovativeness plays a mediating role in this process. Furthermore, the positive impact of NFU on millennials' ALB for relatively individualistic cities (Shanghai) is stronger than for relatively collectivist cities (Tokyo). The positive impact of susceptibility to informative influence (SII) on millennials' ALB for Tokyo is stronger than for Shanghai.

Practical implications

The research results suggest how different cultures can support marketers in effectively carrying out their business strategy.

Originality/value

Under the cross-cultural background, the social identity mechanism behind the attitudes of millennials towards luxury brands has been widely recognised. However, little is known about how culture could moderate the social identity mechanism behind millennials' ALB. By analysing these mechanisms, this study compares the cultures of Shanghai and Tokyo and expands the previous research achievements.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant NO. 2232022G-08 and 2232021E-03).

Citation

Lu, C., Sang, Z., Song, K., Kikuchi, K. and Machida, I. (2022), "The impact of culture on millennials' attitudes towards luxury brands: evidence from Tokyo and Shanghai", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 34 No. 10, pp. 2435-2451. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-07-2021-0468

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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