Understanding the Role of Emotions in Consumer Purchase Intention : A Comparative Study between Sweden and Chile

This thesis explores how emotional branding strategies influence purchase intention in culturally distinct contexts, focusing on Sweden and Chile. As international brands increasingly rely on emotional storytelling in digital and social commerce environments, understanding how cultural differences shape emotional responses becomes essential. The aim of the study is to examine how consumers from Sweden and Chile emotionally interpret brand messages and how these emotions influence their purchase intentions in social commerce. The research question guiding this study is: How do consumers in Sweden and Chile respond to emotional branding strategies employed by international brands, and how are these responses shaped by cultural context? Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and the S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) model, the study adopts a qualitative approach based on twelve semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that emotional responses are deeply shaped by cultural values. Swedish participants valued low-key, authentic, and socially responsible messages, while Chilean participants responded more strongly to emotionally expressive, aspirational, and content oriented to community. The study concludes that emotional branding is not universally perceived, and that emotional tone alignment with cultural expectations significantly affects branding effectiveness. This contributes to theoretical knowledge by highlighting how the “organism” stage in the S-O-R model can be interpreted through cultural values, and offers practical guidance for brands operating across culturally diverse markets.