Between Local Heritage and European Integration: How Contradictory Marketing Narratives Influence Consumer Identity Among Young Poles and Bulgarians

Sammanfattning

This study explores how balancing heritage with European integration affects identity formation among Generation Z in Poland and Bulgaria. The research adopts a two-phased qualitative design, by combining a multimodal discourse analysis of 26 social media campaigns, as well as a netnography based on user comments.Observed through the lenses of Bauman’s Liquid Modernity and Consumer Culture Theory, these findings reveal a notable cultural asymmetry. On one hand, Bulgaria shows a “turbulent liquidity”, where pro-European narratives are often opposed by irony or an “aesthetic conversion” where sustainability is perceived as a symbol of status rather than a ethical standard. On the other hand, Poland demonstrates a “domesticated liquidity” and an identity, where European belonging is natural. This can be seen in two phenomena, a “foreign ownership paradox” and “post-ironic patriotism”. The first meaning that global capital is localised, and the later, describes the playful remix of national symbols.This study demonstrates that globalization in post-socialist spaces is not a uniform process, but more of a spectrum. Thus how it contributes to existing literature. Additionally, for managers, it emphasises the need for brands to rely more on authentic, localized digital engagement, respecting the consumer’s cultural agency.