Cross-Cultural Effectiveness of Digital Marketing Communication

Sammanfattning

Abstract Date: 26th of May 2026 Level: Master’s Thesis in International Marketing (15 credits). Institution: Mälardalens University, School of Business, Society & Engineering, Västerås. Author: Meero Garabedian (93/02/10) Supervisor: Ulf R. Andersson Research Question: How do individualism vs collectivism and masculinity vs femininity dimensions influence consumer perceptions and responses to digital marketing messages in international markets? Purpose: To capture consumers’ perspectives on interpreting international marketing messages, thereby equipping marketers to develop more precisely tailored marketing messages and campaigns. Method: This study adapts an inductive qualitative approach, drawing on twenty semi-structured interviews to generate rich primary data, which were subsequently examined through thematic analysis. Conclusion: This thesis shows that tailoring digital marketing, by matching “me vs. we” and “compete vs. care” messages and using the right social-proof channels, dramatically boosts engagement across cultures. By mapping audiences into four cultural quadrants, marketers gain a clear, actionable blueprint for crafting ads that resonate locally and perform globally.