TRADITION, LANGUAGE, AND HERITAGE IN THE MARKETPLACE: EXPLORING THE CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF BRAND ENGAGEMENT THROUGH PLS-SEM

Abstract

In increasingly multicultural marketplaces, understanding how culture shapes consumer-brand relationships has become essential for marketers and policymakers. This study investigates the influence of traditional values, language affinity, and cultural heritage on brand engagement using a structural model estimated through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Survey data were collected from 612 respondents across three culturally rich urban regions, focusing on consumer perceptions related to cultural identity, emotional branding, and heritage resonance. The results reveal that tradition and cultural heritage positively influence emotional and cognitive brand engagement, with language serving as a critical mediating mechanism that enhances perceived authenticity and trust. Moreover, the model exhibits strong predictive power, with significant path coefficients and high explanatory variance across latent constructs. These findings suggest that integrating cultural elements into brand communication may foster deeper consumer loyalty and market legitimacy. Policy implications highlight the need for cultural preservation strategies in branding, including multilingual campaigns and heritage-oriented brand narratives. It is recommended that firms adopt culturally intelligent marketing strategies and engage local cultural custodians to co-create authentic brand identities.

Keywords: Cultural Branding, Heritage Marketing, Brand Engagement, Language Affinity, Tradition, PLS-SEM.