Cultural references and their importance for brand identification

In recent years, brands have made use of strategies that seek to appeal to emotions such as patriotism to generate affinity with the consumer. The objective of this study is to analyze the presence of cultural references in the spot “Let’s make a Peru that gives us pleasure” of the Inca Kola brand in men and women between 18 and 25 years old. The study approach is qualitative. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted. Inca Kola is perceived as a Peruvian symbol thanks to its broad cultural references. The importance of representing diverse ethnicities and cultural diversity to connect with consumers is underlined. Some interviewees are skeptical about the authenticity of the representations of ethnic diversity, so it is recommended to conduct a quantitative study to measure the perceived lack of authenticity in these representations, to improve future diversity strategies.