Cultural Influence on Brand Personality Preferences: Individualists Prefer Sophisticated and Competent Brands while Collectivists Prefer Sincere Brands

Abstract

In this research, we examine the extent to which culture influences brand personality preference, based on specific personality dimensions. This research focuses on two main group-level cultures: individualists and collectivists. We introduce and examine the variations in preferences of Sincere, Competent, and Sophisticated brand personalities and how cultural orientations influence brand personality preference. Based on previous literature, we suggest that consumers in collectivistic countries show a higher preference for brands with Sincere personalities. Moreover, we suggest that consumers in individualistic countries show a higher preference for brands with competent and sophisticated personalities. We also suggest that the mechanism underlying these effects is the perceived symbolic meaning of the brand. This effect is moderated by the cultural background (collectivistic vs. individualistic) of the consumer. This research contributes to the literature on brand personality traits, brand symbolic meaning, and cultural orientations. We discuss implications for marketers for global marketing strategies.