When Local Brands are Better? The Moderator Role of Self-Construal on Identification with Global or Local Brands

Abstract

This paper explores the interactional effect of self-construal and openness to change on global and local brands identification in Brazil. Global brands are constantly expanding in most of the Latin American countries (Alden et al., 1999; Cornel and Drennan, 2004; Strizhakova, et al., 2008). However, consumer values in these countries can have an important impact in the evaluation of those brands. Moreover, self-construal can influence the value-behavior relationship (Oysermann, 2009).First, we conducted a pretest to identify the most representative global and local brands in Brazil. Then, in the main study, 301 undergraduate Brazilian students were surveyed. The scales used were: Openness to change values (Schwartz, 1992); self-construal (Singelis, 1994). Glocal Index is the difference between global and local brand identifications. Higher (vs. lower) scores on Glocal Index indicate global (vs. local) brand identification.In our analysis, a 2(values: low vs. high openness to change) x 2(Self-construal: independent vs. interdependent) ANOVA on brand identification (Glocal Index) revealed the predicted interaction (F(1, 28) = 4.85, p< .05). When an interdependent selfconstrual was salient, high openness to change participants reported more identification with global brands (M = .67) and low openness to change participants with local brands (M = -.77, p<.01). However, when an independent self-construal was salient, participants reported similar brand identification in both high openness to change (M = -.36) and low openness to change values (M = -.44, ns). These findings show that high openness to change participants would identify themselves more with local rather than global brands when independent (vs. interdependent) self-construal is salient. The main effect for openness to change was significant (F(1, 28) = 6.01, p< .05) while self-construal (F(1, 28) = 1.27, ns) did not reach significance.This research provides a deeper understanding of how a specific match in values and self-construal provides can increase local brand identification. Our initial findings indicate the hypothesized moderating role of self-construal on value-behavior relationship. The present research also demonstrates that self-construal salience can increase local brands preference. For instance, high openness to change participants reported more identification with local brands when an independent selfconstrual was salient (p< .05). In addition, we provide further evidence on how self-construal can influence the valuebehavior relationship (Oysermann, 2009). This understanding can contribute to the development of local brand strategies in Brazil.