Etnocentrismo e valor percebido: influência na percepção do amor à marca regional e não regional

Abstract

Contextualization: The research was developed in an increasingly globalized market scenario, where global brands dominate, but regional brands still play a significant role. In Brazil, the soft drink sector is highly competitive, with Guaraná Mineiro being a regional brand with strong local appeal, while the Guaraná Antarctica brand has national/international reach. The study aims to explore the concept of brand love, especially in regional brands that have a cultural and emotional proximity with consumers, which is less common in studies focused on global brands. Objective: The objective of the research is to analyze the aspects that influence and are influenced in the relationship of love for regional and non-regional brands among soft drink consumers. It seeks to understand how factors such as consumer local identity, brand regionality perception, perceived value, ethnocentrism, and influence consumers' emotional bond. Method: The research adopts a quantitative approach through the application of questionnaires to measure consumers' perceptions of the Guaraná Mineiro brand. Data analysis will be descriptive and through structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship of the study variables with brand love. Results: The results show that both the perception of the brand as local and the extent to which the consumer identifies with their region positively influence the perceived value of the brand. Regarding the predictors of brand love, it is identified that perceived value and consumer local identity more strongly influence this relationship in the regional brand than in the non-regional brand. Consumer ethnocentric tendency, however, influences love for both brands, demonstrating that consumers with this behavioral profile identify with both the regional and national appeal of the brand. Love for the regional brand demonstrated a greater capacity to influence positive behaviors among consumers, as verified in word-of-mouth and the preference for the regional brand over others.