The MBPS is a cross-nationally validated instrument for measuring the meanings consumers attribute to branded products across three theoretically distinct dimensions. Strizhakova, Coulter, and Price (2008) developed the scale through a multi-phase, multi-country research programme encompassing the United States, Russia, and Costa Rica, motivated by the observation that globalisation has produced a worldwide marketplace for branded goods whose meanings differ systematically across cultural contexts. Quality Signaling captures the meaning of branded products as markers and guarantors of product quality — the belief that brands signal reliable, consistent, and superior product performance compared with unbranded alternatives. Identity Expression captures the meaning of branded products as vehicles for self-expression, social identity communication, and lifestyle signalling — the degree to which owning and displaying branded products communicates something meaningful about who the consumer is or aspires to be. Hedonism captures the intrinsic enjoyment, pleasure, and gratification derived from the experience of owning and consuming branded products — the hedonic value of the brand beyond its functional or identity utility. The three dimensions are empirically separable and show theoretically predictable cross-national patterns: Quality Signaling is most prominent in emerging markets where brand names function as quality heuristics in markets with high product counterfeiting and variable quality; Identity Expression is strongest in cultures with high status consumption norms; Hedonism is most closely linked to materialism scores across cultures.
7-point Likert (1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree); three subscales scored separately; subscales averaged
Quality Signaling — QS (5 items): meaning of brands as reliable markers and guarantors of superior product quality. 7-point Likert (1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree). Items averaged.
Identity Expression — IE (5 items): meaning of brands as vehicles for self-expression and social identity communication. 7-point Likert. Items averaged.
Hedonism — HED (5 items): intrinsic enjoyment and gratification derived from owning and consuming branded products. 7-point Likert. Items averaged.
Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.
The three MBPS dimensions should be reported and tested separately; they have different antecedents (materialism, cultural values, market development) and consequences (purchase behaviour, brand loyalty, price premium acceptance). The scale was designed for cross-national comparative research — validate factor structure equivalence across cultural groups before making cross-national comparisons using multiple-group CFA. Identity Expression items are particularly sensitive to social desirability bias in cultures with high collectivism — consider priming effects and survey context when administering. The MBPS has been used to track the evolution of brand meaning in rapidly developing consumer markets (China, India, Brazil) over time.
Strizhakova, Y., Coulter, R.A., & Price, L.L. (2008). The meanings of branded products: A cross-national scale development and meaning assessment. Journal of International Marketing, 16(4), 14–55.
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