Rising Ethno-Nationalism And Consumer Narratives: Experiences From And Emerging Economy

The rise of nationalism across many countries has often been considered a threat for global brands. Research has highlighted the role of nationalism and patriotism in driving consumer ethnocentric behavior. Several Indian brands have recently joined the nationalistic bandwagon to attract consumers. The current study is an attempt to investigate consumer buying motives in an emerging economy, India. The context is interposed with the rise of nationalism as the dominant political ideology of the ruling elite. India has emerged only recently from a controlled economy and through an externally imposed liberalization program. The study interviews consumers across different walks of life to understand and explore their choice of such nationalistic brands. While the study partly confirms to the consumption behavior witnessed in other transitioning and emerging economies, consumer reflections indicate that there is a deeper skepticism around such nationalistic campaigns emerging from the contextual milieu.