Cultural Dimensions and Host-Country Marketing Localization: The Roles of Individualism and Long-Term Orientation in Samsonite's International Markets

Abstract

This study examines how host-country cultural characteristics shape marketing localization in the international luggage industry, focusing on Hofstede's individualism/collectivism (IDV) and long-term/short-term orientation (LTO) dimensions. Using a literature review supplemented by lightweight case-based evidence from Samsonite and American Tourister, the study develops a transmission mechanism linking cultural orientation, consumer values and preferences, and localized marketing adjustment. The analysis shows that IDV primarily affects the social and identity-related meaning of consumption: individualistic markets favor personal experience, self-expression, and differentiated brand identity, whereas collectivist markets place greater emphasis on family, group belonging, and shared travel experiences. LTO mainly influences how consumers evaluate product value over time. Long-term-oriented markets emphasize durability, utility, value for money, and enduring benefits, while short-term-oriented markets give greater prominence to fashion, novelty, collaborations, and immediate experience. Samsonite's multi-brand practices and American Tourister's "Everyone's In" campaign in India provide practical support for these mechanisms. The study contributes a structured cultural-dimension framework for host-country marketing localization and offers practical guidance for international luggage brands seeking to align brand positioning, product-value communication, and advertising appeals with culturally differentiated consumer expectations. Rather than treating localization as simple translation, the framework highlights culturally grounded adjustments while preserving overall global brand consistency across markets.