Title: Globalization-localization strategies in cultural marketing towards Vietnamese coffee brands: Effects on consumer response and soft power perception
Authors: Van Quan Nguyen
Linh Nguyen Khanh
Sam Truong Thuc
Volume: 10
Issue: 8
Pages: 41-53
Publication Date: 2026/08/28
Abstract:
Globalization has increased the need for brands to balance global consistency with local cultural relevance. However, limited research explains how such strategies adopted by domestic brands influence both consumer responses and perceptions of national soft power. This study examines how globalization-localization strategies in the cultural marketing of Vietnamese coffee brands influence cultural identification, consumer purchase intention, and national soft power perception. By integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework with Competitive Identity Theory, the study conceptualizes cultural identification as the mechanism linking marketing strategies with consumer and national-level outcomes. Data from 327 Vietnamese consumers were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that global standardization and local cultural adaptation positively influence cultural identification, while cultural identification significantly affects purchase intention and national soft power perception. Mediation results further confirm the central role of cultural identification. The findings highlight that culturally embedded branding can strengthen consumer engagement while contributing to Vietnam's international cultural image, which extend both the S-O-R framework and Competitive Identity Theory in the emerging market like Vietnam.