Global Brands in the United States

Global Brands in the United States: How Consumer Ethnicity Mediates the Global Brand Effect
Claudiu V. Dimofte, Johny K. Johansson, and Richard P Bagozzi .

ABSTRACT
Previous cross-cultural research has demonstrated a consistently positive effect of brand globality on consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions. The authors evaluate these effects on three ethnic segments of U.S. consumers. Drawing on survey data analysis and the estimates of a structural equation model, the research shows that associations with global brands as a general category vary across ethnic groups. Caucasian consumers show less of an appreciation of global brands, whereas African Americans and Hispanics show patterns similar to those in prior research. Although the average consumer views brand globality as an attribute of little importance, the structural equation findings show a direct effect of globality on attitudes and purchases. Overall, mainstream consumers in the United States are less favorable toward global brands than minority groups but patronize them at the same overall rate. Keywords: global brands, consumer ethnicity, market segmentation, attitudes, purchase behavior

I

n general, brands that are widely available across international markets and enjoy high levels of recognition across the world are described as global brands (Dimofte, Johansson, and Ronkainen 2008). Research on global brands ranging from adidas to Zara has consistently demonstrated their advantages over other brands. Global brands are believed to engender more positive affect (Alden, Steenkamp, and Batra 1999), suggest higher quality (Steenkamp, Batra, and Alden 2003), enjoy greater esteem (Johansson and Ronkainen 2005),

evoke appealing global myths (Holt, Quelch, and Taylor 2004), and generally have an advantage over local brands (Holt, Quelch, and Taylor 2004). Findings also suggest that consumers in less developed countries associate global brands with an aspiration toward the... [continues]

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