The Impact of Cultural Bias in Market Research and How to Mitigate It
Market research is essential for global businesses, but cultural bias can distort findings and lead to ineffective strategies.
From survey wording to focus group dynamics, unnoticed biases can misrepresent consumer preferences.
Pepsi’s Advertising Misstep in China: Pepsi's slogan "Come Alive with Pepsi" was poorly translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead." This caused confusion and cultural backlash. A more localised research approach, including linguistic testing, could have prevented this blunder.
McDonald’s Adaption to Indian consumers: McDonald's initially struggled in India, where beef is not widely consumed due to religious reasons. After research into cultural preferences, they reformulated their menu, introducing the McAloo Tikki burger, which became a massive success.
How to Avoid Cultural Bias in Research
🔹Diversify Research Teams – Include local experts to interpret cultural nuances accurately.
🔹Localise Survey Wording – Ensure translations and phrasing reflect local languages and values.
🔹Use Country-Specific Methodologies – Leverage qualitative insights, ethnographic studies, and behavioural data rather than relying solely on direct surveys.
Avoiding cultural bias requires diverse research teams, careful questionnaire design, and country-specific methodologies. By ensuring inclusivity in research, businesses can make informed, culturally relevant decisions.
At Scale Research, we help brands conduct unbiased, globally relevant research - let’s make sure your insights truly reflect your audience!
