TY - JOUR
T1 - Expressing herself through brands
T2 - The Arab woman’s perspective
AU - Alserhan, Baker Ahmad
AU - Halkias, Daphne
AU - Boulanouar, Aisha Wood
AU - Dayan, Mumin
AU - Alserhan, Omar Ahmad
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
PY - 2015/7/13
Y1 - 2015/7/13
N2 - Purpose – This paper aims to extend Wallström et al.’s (2010) six-nation study on brand use and notions of self-expression to Arab women in the UAE. Additionally, it extends the scope of investigation to include an extensive qualitative data corpus to inform and explain the consumption practices of this large, very wealthy and under-researched sector of the global marketplace. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses mixed methodology emphasizing qualitative research as a means of building on the results of Wallström et al.’s (2010) quantitative study. Findings – Results reveal that Arab women are less committed to the idea that beauty care products are a locus of self-expression, and their purchase choices are based on perceived quality of care products, scene of use and their lack of value in the culture as vehicles of conspicuous consumption cues. Originality/value – The paper offers valuable insights to researchers and practitioners into the use of beauty care products as a means of self-expression, and emphasizes the value of word-of-mouth communication in enhancing reach in this category. The authors recommend the investigation of relationships between expressing self through brands and variables revealed in this study such as respondents’ relationships to religiosity and health concerns. An extension of this research is also recommended to produce a cross-cultural body of literature on women’s self-expression through brands and how the variable of self-expression can be an important driver of consumer preferences and choices in this population.
AB - Purpose – This paper aims to extend Wallström et al.’s (2010) six-nation study on brand use and notions of self-expression to Arab women in the UAE. Additionally, it extends the scope of investigation to include an extensive qualitative data corpus to inform and explain the consumption practices of this large, very wealthy and under-researched sector of the global marketplace. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses mixed methodology emphasizing qualitative research as a means of building on the results of Wallström et al.’s (2010) quantitative study. Findings – Results reveal that Arab women are less committed to the idea that beauty care products are a locus of self-expression, and their purchase choices are based on perceived quality of care products, scene of use and their lack of value in the culture as vehicles of conspicuous consumption cues. Originality/value – The paper offers valuable insights to researchers and practitioners into the use of beauty care products as a means of self-expression, and emphasizes the value of word-of-mouth communication in enhancing reach in this category. The authors recommend the investigation of relationships between expressing self through brands and variables revealed in this study such as respondents’ relationships to religiosity and health concerns. An extension of this research is also recommended to produce a cross-cultural body of literature on women’s self-expression through brands and how the variable of self-expression can be an important driver of consumer preferences and choices in this population.
KW - Arab women
KW - Beauty care
KW - Female consumers
KW - Luxury brands
KW - Self expression
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84937874859&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84937874859&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/JRME-09-2014-0024
DO - 10.1108/JRME-09-2014-0024
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84937874859
SN - 1471-5201
VL - 17
SP - 36
EP - 53
JO - Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship
JF - Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship
IS - 1
ER -