The Effects of Language on Attitudes Toward Advertisements and Brands Trust in Mexico

Abstract

The main purposes of this study are to assess the effects language of communication in advertisements directed at the Mexican consumer. Results of an experiment conducted among a sample of college students at a Mexican university indicate that the use of an English tag line in advertising a local brand generates less positive attitudes and less brand trust compared to ads that use Spanish language exclusively. These findings point to the importance of appealing to patriotic feelings, linguistic pride, and consumer ethnocentrism when advertising local brands. Additionally, the results indicate that for global brands, insertion of English words can be used without detriment to the advertisement or the brand; however, the use of English does not enhance the brand trust or the attitudes toward the ads.