Androgyny, Consumers’ Biological Sex, and Cultural Differences

Abstract

This Chapter analyses the data assessed in Chap. 3 in more detail. First, in all 10 countries, the 20 brands were categorized into androgynous, feminine, masculine, and undifferentiated. Katz (The social psychology of female–male relations, Academic Press, Orlando, pp. 21–67, 1986) confirmed that an androgynous correlation has numerous benefits, such as increased adaptability to ambiguous settings. Likewise, a study by Bem (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 42:155–162, 1974) concerning the inventory of sex roles explained that a non-androgynous sex role limits an individual’s array of traits, since he or she must shift from one condition to another. Furthermore, the effects of the respondents’ sex were evaluated. Various studies have revealed an impact identified as “identical sex bias,” or the efficient identification and processing of stimuli symbolizing an individual’s own sex. Consistent with this assumption, the outcomes supported the theory of a brand–gender congruency impact based on consumers’ biological sex. Male consumers discerned higher brand equity in masculine brands than in feminine ones, and vice versa for females. Another important topic regarding cultural difference was also analyzed. Implementing Hofstede (Culture’s consequences—International differences in work related values,. Newbury Park, London, 1980) individualism versus collectivism index showed differences in brand equity perceptions between somewhat collectivistic (Eastern) and individualistic (Western) countries, such that masculine brands were perceived to be stronger in individualistic cultures and feminine brands were perceived to be stronger in collectivistic cultures. The rationale behind this is that the values of assertiveness and independence are highly associated with masculinity, while interdependence and cordiality are highly correlated with femininity.

The current chapter refers to the publication, “The Impact of Brand Gender on Brand Equity: Findings from a Large-Scale Cross-Cultural Study in Ten Countries” by Theo Lieven and Christian Hildebrand in The International Marketing Review in 2016 (Lieven and Hildebrand 2016). Wherever feasible, text passages have been modified and reworded: identical tables and figures, however, have been adopted.