Cross-Cultural Differences in Influencer Marketing between China and Portugal

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore cross-cultural differences in influencer marketing between China and Portugal, focusing on how cultural dimensions are represented in marketing on Little Red Book and Instagram. Based on Hofstede's theoretical framework, the study employs content analysis to examine the influence of two cultural dimensions, "uncertainty avoidance" and "masculinity/femininity," on influencer marketing content. Data were collected from posts made by beauty industry influencers. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, Chinese influencers' posts exhibited a higher level of "uncertainty avoidance" and reflected both masculinity and femininity characteristics than Portuguese influencers, who focused more on product convenience in their masculinity characteristics. A common theme in both China and Portugal was the emphasis on the utilitarian value of products. These findings suggest that marketers should tailor their strategies to their target audience’s cultural context, emphasizing product innovation and cultivating brand-customer trust in China, while focusing on qualityof-life-enhancing products and service-oriented marketing in Portugal. Additionally, this study discusses the limitations, including potential biases due to the cultural background of the coders and the constraints of sample and platform selection. Future research could benefit from broader and more diverse studies to provide a more comprehensive perspective.