ABSTRACT

Date: 2026-06-01

Level: Master thesis in Business Administration, 15 cr

Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University

Authors: Nourhan Rayes Kristian Lee-Him

2000/07/12 1993/10/08

Title: Standardized vs. adapted brand communication strategies: A Comparative Qualitative Study of

Consumer Perceptions of H&M's Global Marketing Strategy

Supervisor: Annoch Hadjikhani

Keywords: Standardization, adaptation, brand communication, consumer perception, brand trust, fast fashion

Research question: How do consumers from different cultural backgrounds perceive standardized versus culturally adapted brand communication in a global fast fashion brand, and how does this shape their overall brand perception?

Purpose: The thesis examines how consumers from different cultural backgrounds perceive standardized versus culturally adapted brand communication in the global fast fashion industry using H&M as a single case study. Existing research has focused primarily on company strategies and financial outcomes, leaving the consumer perspective largely underexplored.

Method: A qualitative research design was adopted, consisting of ten semi-structured interviews with consumers from Sweden and Saudi Arabia, who evaluated the same set of H&M campaigns. The data were analysed in-depth using thematic analysis, drawing on Hofstede's cultural dimensions, Hall's high-context/low-context framework, and Keller's customer-based brand equity model.

Conclusion: Standardized communication is perceived as culturally located rather than neutral, carrying an implicit address to the brand's home market that is recognizable to consumers outside it. Cultural adaptation does not automatically generate trust; consumers evaluate its sincerity through the effort invested, the consistency of engagement beyond commercially prominent occasions, and the alignment between communication and corporate conduct. Two dimensions of brand trust were identified: functional trust and principled trust. Cultural and religious identity, rather than country of residence alone, shapes how consumers interpret brand communication. suggesting that cross-cultural frameworks may need to be operationalized at a finer level than national culture.