Daigo Yazawa, Nikolas R. Webster, James Du, Jeffrey D. James

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of cultural cues on consumers’ purchase decision of a sport merchandise product. Using a randomized experiment, two types of NBA team jersey, with or without cultural cues, were presented and participants answered questions regarding their attitude toward each variation. Their levels of acculturation to the United States and psychological connection with a sport team were measured to investigate whether these constructs impact the purchase decision-making process of culturally cued jersey. It was found that acculturated individuals selected the culturally cued jersey at a higher rate compared to unacculturated consumers. A significant interaction effect between attitude toward the English jersey and psychological connection suggests that those who have a strong psychological connection tend to select the original jersey. The results of this study examining the effectiveness of cultural cues in NBA merchandise designs provide empirical support for cultural targeted marketing strategies.

Keywords: Sport merchandise, target marketing, cultural cues, acculturation, psychological connection

Citation: Yazawa, D., Webster, N. R., Du, J., & James, J. D. (2022). Cultural cues in NBA jersey designs: Examining the role of acculturation and psychological connection in consumer purchase decisions. International Journal of Sport Management, 23(4), 292-316.

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