How global brands incorporate local cultural elements to improve brand evaluations: A perspective on cultural mixing
International Marketing Review
ISSN: 0265-1335
Article publication date: 11 December 2019
Issue publication date: 12 February 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the interpretation strategy of cultural mixing on consumers’ evaluations of global brands that incorporate local cultural elements. Specifically, this paper examines whether a property interpretation and a relational interpretation have different influences on consumers’ evaluations of global brands that incorporate local cultural elements.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experiments were conducted as part of this research. Experiment 1 adopted a two (interpretation strategy: property interpretation vs relational interpretation) single-factor between-subjects design. Experiment 2 adopted a 2 (interpretation strategy: property interpretation vs relational interpretation) × 2 (polyculturalist beliefs: high vs low) between-subjects design. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and PROCESS 213.
Findings
A property interpretation (emphasizing that some features of a global brand transfer to local cultural elements) leads to a less favorable evaluation of global brands that incorporate local cultural elements than a relational interpretation (emphasizing a relation between global brands and local cultural elements). This effect is fully mediated by perceived cultural intrusion, and it exists only when consumers have a low level of polyculturalist beliefs.
Originality/value
This paper reveals that the phenomenon of cultural mixing occurs when global brands incorporate local cultural elements. In addition, the way that consumers perceive the relationship between global brands and local cultural elements will determine their reactions to global brands that incorporate local cultural elements.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71532011).
Citation
Nie, C. and Wang, T. (2021), "How global brands incorporate local cultural elements to improve brand evaluations: A perspective on cultural mixing", International Marketing Review, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 163-183. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-01-2019-0035
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited