Roots Marketing: the marketing research opportunity

Abstract

Given the past and current migration of many populations, a significant and growing global marketing opportunity exists for products where the national identity or country of origin can be used as positive sub-branding. Two important questions for marketing researchers are discussed: first how to “reach” these consumers psychologically and, second, how to “physically” reach them. To appreciate how to reach them psychologically the emotional significance and key dimensions of national, cultural or regional origins are examined using both the literature and a qualitative research study. As regards how “physically” to reach and make contact both in marketing research and marketing terms with such a geographically dispersed target market the authors examine marketing research and database research questions to establish a person’s perceived roots and report on an innovation in the use of personal and family names as indicators of origins or affiliations. Focusing on Scottish migrants and their descendants as a case study, the paper reports on two quantitative studies where the strength of the link between Scottish identity and the consumption of Scottish goods is determined. The findings indicate a significant marketing opportunity given the above average level of purchasing Scottish products by migrants and their descendants particularly as such people represent ambassadors for goods from their country of origin. The implications for other migrant groups across the world are noted.