PurposeTo investigate consumer attitudes in India towards local and foreign brand names, against a background of increasing prevalence of foreign brand names and stereotypes of countries of origin covering the range from positive to negative.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire administered face‐to‐face to 112 consumers in the city of Lucknow. Attitudes to brands categorized as “foreign” or “Indian” were measured by seven‐point semantic differential scales, and consumer ethnocentrism by CETSCALE. Factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify factors contributing to the observed degree of ethnocentrism in brand choices.FindingsIt was found that the quality of foreign brands was perceived to be generally higher and superior to local brands. Most consumers also associated greater accessibility of foreign brands in the Indian market with better quality at lower prices. Despite high levels of nationalism and preference for indigenous manufacture, as evidenced in high factor ratings on an ethnocentrism scale, which might indicate a positive bias towards local brands, Indian consumers were not prejudiced against foreign brand names. In fact, they evaluated them higher on technology, quality, status and esteem than Indian brands, and attributed higher credibility to those countries‐of‐origin.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds to the body of knowledge about country‐of‐origin effect, in a massive and fast developing market.Practical implicationsThe strategy of marketers of foreign brands in the Indian market should be to position their products on attributes of technology and quality, rather than economy and value for money.Originality/valueShows that ethnocentricity does not necessarily result in hostility to foreign brands.

A study conducted on Asian ethnic consumers in the UK showed ethnic origin to be a major segmentation variable in differentiating ethnic and white intergroup responses to four different executions of advertising copy incorporating different levels of ethnic appeal. The ethnic group gave consistently more favourable responses than white consumers, implying that they would respond more favourably to the visual ‘picture’ component in advertising copy. On an intragroup basis it was found that ‘all–ethnic’ copy with higher levels of ethnic content would be more effective in targeting ethnic groups because it provides a cultural framework with greater staying power in terms of its visual, nonverbal presentation in comparison to ‘all–white’ appeals. ‘Integrated’panel layouts incorporating both ethnic and white appeals in the same advertising copy format did not evoke significantly more positive feelings among either Asian ethnic or white viewers in comparison to ‘all–ethnic’ copy. Advertisers should note therefore that integrated advertisements cannot be expected to radically influence either ethnic or white consumer attitudes towards promoted products. It was also found that as a compromise strategy, ‘product–only’ advertisements might well be the best answer to targeting ethnic as well as white viewers.

Who, in the organization, buys the computer system? How are various departments involved in the organizational decision process? T V Seshadri and N Kinra analyse the decision processes of 30 organizations that had bought a computer system—mini, mainframe, or macro. Based on a questionnaire study and factor analysis, the authors conclude that the EDP department and Board of Directors are critical in the buying grids of the purchasing organizations. They draw implications of their findings for managers marketing computer systems.

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A study conducted on Asian ethnic consumers in the UK showed ethnic origin to be a major segmentation variable in differentiating ethnic and white intergroup responses to four different executions of advertising copy incorporating different levels of ethnic appeal. The ethnic group gave consistently more favourable responses than white consumers, implying that they would respond more favourably to the visual ‘picture’ component in advertising copy. On an intragroup basis it was found that ‘all–ethnic’ copy with higher levels of ethnic content would be more effective in targeting ethnic groups because it provides a cultural framework with greater staying power in terms of its visual, nonverbal presentation in comparison to ‘all–white’ appeals. ‘Integrated’panel layouts incorporating both ethnic and white appeals in the same advertising copy format did not evoke significantly more positive feelings among either Asian ethnic or white viewers in comparison to ‘all–ethnic’ copy. Advertisers should note therefore that integrated advertisements cannot be expected to radically influence either ethnic or white consumer attitudes towards promoted products. It was also found that as a compromise strategy, ‘product–only’ advertisements might well be the best answer to targeting ethnic as well as white viewers.