Research Symposium

BIO

Leticia Falcao (Florida State University) is an undergraduate marketing student at Florida State University. Her academic and professional interests include digital branding, consumer behavior, and cultural trends in media. During her time at FSU, she has been actively involved in student organizations, producing biweekly articles and social media content as a staff writer and media staff for Her Campus at FSU. She’s also a social media intern for the FSU Career Center.

Consumer Perceptions of Authenticity in Brand Campaigns

Abstract

In increasingly multicultural markets, brands face growing scrutiny over how they represent and engage with culture, yet marketing research lacks a clear definition of cultural credibility distinct from traditional source or brand credibility. This study conceptualizes cultural credibility as a socially constructed consumer judgment grounded in perceived authenticity, shared values, cultural understanding, and relational alignment rather than surface-level representation. Drawing on cultural identity theory and social identity frameworks, the research examines how consumers interpret visual, narrative, and relational cues in brand campaigns and how they distinguish between cultural appreciation, appropriation, and exploitation.

Keywords: consumer, culture, brand, credibility