Culture and Brand Relationships

Consumers form relationships with brands in much the same way as they form relationships with other individuals. The concept of brand relationship has become an important research topic because of the economical advantages that firms are assumed to enjoy such as reduced marketing costs, ease of access, customer retention, brand equity, and increasing profits. It has been suggested that culture plays an important role in portraying brands and shaping the relationships that consumers develop with brands. This chapter facilitates our understanding of the concept of brand relationships, and the cultural factors affecting the formation and management of brand relationships. The chapter concludes by highlighting insights for future research.