Brand as a friend

: how different cultures identify with archetypal digital marketing of brands?

Abstract

This research aims to explore how different European cultures identify with archetypal digital marketing communication. Grounded in the theories of digital marketing, social media marketing, brand archetypes (brand anthropomorphism) and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, the research investigates how individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds interpret and identify with digital brand messages embodying archetypal characteristics. Mixed-methods approach was conducted for data gathering, including cross-cultural survey and semi-structured in-depth interviews with five individuals from the Generation Z, from different European countries (Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Portugal). The study examines if cultural values, beliefs, and norms have a significant effect on the attitude towards social media marketing of archetypal brands, and connection in case of brand perception and identification with brands using archetypal digital marketing. The aim is to give implications on the importance of aligning digital communication with cultural characteristics to have stronger consumer-brand relationships in global markets.

Date of Award	26 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ákos Varga (Supervisor)