Culture and Brand Iconicity

This chapter discusses how studying the cultural symbolism of brands can contribute to our understanding of consumer behavior in a globalized economy. Drawing on the notion that brands can be regarded as cultural products, as well as on findings showing that consumers’ interactions with brands are often guided by the fulfillment of salient cultural identity needs and the alignment with self-relevant values, the authors develop a framework for understanding the impact of multiculturalism and globalization on consumer behavior. More specifically, they integrate research examining the effects of consumer cultural values and desirable group identities, country of origin and cultural symbolism, bicultural and multicultural exposure, and the phenomenology of global consumption on consumer behavior.