The Influence of Cultural Identity on Consumer Behavior Regarding Cosmetic Products in Digital Environments (A Case Study of China and Russia)

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the influence of cultural identity on consumer behavior regarding cosmetic products in the digital space, using the markets of China and Russia as case studies. The relevance of the research is justified by the profound transformation of consumer practices driven by digitalization, which, on one hand, standardizes access to information and purchasing, while on the other, intensifies the significance of cultural differences in the perception of advertising messages. The aim of the work is to identify the specifics and mechanisms through which culturally determined values and norms influence the decision-making processes, motivation, and online behavior models of target audiences. The study revealed key differences in the approaches of Russian and Chinese companies to establishing a dialogue with consumers. The comparative study employed methods of content analysis of advertising texts from leading brands and an analysis of their communication strategies on social media. consumption. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that it is the first to conduct a cross-cultural analysis of the influence of cultural identity on consumer behavior in the digital environment, using the cosmetic markets of China and Russia as examples. In contrast to previous works focused on individual markets, this study empirically proves that in the era of digitalization, the cultural code is not leveled but becomes a key barrier and, simultaneously, a driver of effective communication. The results showed a steady trend towards the increasing importance of the cultural code in the digital environment: despite globalization, brands are forced to carry out deep glocalization of content, appealing to national symbols, aesthetic ideals, and linguistic features. The main conclusion emphasizes that a successful digital communication strategy in the cosmetics segment cannot be effective without the integration of a deep cultural component adapted to a specific target audience.