IMPACT OF DEVELOPING ETHNOCENTRIC BRAND TEMPLATES TO SUSTAIN THE LOCAL BRANDS-AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

Many of the locally originated brands follow the brand promotional strategies by highlighting their ethnocentric values tied up with emotional appeals to acquire a significant mind share over the competition of multinational brands. “Be Lankan, Buy Lankan” has been a slogan of many local brands, and it seems that there is a trend of political ideologies to promote local brands. However the significant matter is to what extent it makes a sense in local communities to purchase the local brands deliberately. Researchers viewed this issue and selected three product categories representing FMCG, consumer durables and service sector to investigate the significance of the impact of promoting those cultural, hereditical countries of origin and individual responsibility on the performance of local brands. A sample of 80 respondents from four districts was selected for the study, and researchers conducted personal interviews to get the responses from the sample. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis revealed that stimulating ethnocentric values has a significant effect on brand recalling power ranged 75%-80%, but it does not have a great impact on actual purchasing behaviour unless it is not greatly tied up with key purchasing determinants (KPDs) of the brand. Further, it nearly 60% of respondents are risk averse in the context of actual purchasing behaviour.

Key words: Brand Templates, Emotional values, Ethnocentric Brand Values, Positioning, Branding Strategies.

For full paper: fmscresearch@sjp.ac.lk