Designing Cross-Cultural Brand Identity: A Case Study of Guyanese Sugar in the Chinese Market

As global trade reaches new heights, considering investments in infrastructure and resources, especially with Chinese initiatives like One Belt One Road (OBOR), many exporters of agricultural commodities from developing countries must decide how to manage cross-cultural branding challenges. This study aims to determine whether and how the transposition of international visual communication through packaging design and adopting cultural stories and meaning will help enhance the competitiveness of Guyana’s Demerara sugar within China. Using cross-cultural branding theory and survey data from 104 urban Chinese consumers, it explores the design-related elements most effectively influencing consumer trust and purchase intention. The study found that, although elements of bright colours and visual attractiveness had a limited effect, trust can be positively influenced through heritage storytelling, clean typography, recycled material, and telling an open digital story about the sugar industry in Guyana. The enhanced trust through these elements had a more prominent impact on younger consumers rationalising price, while older generations valued health benefits and sustainability. The study proposes a culturally adaptive brand strategy framework that integrates Caribbean authenticity with Chinese design expectations. It also allows agro-exporters to gain practical guidance on their path to culturally different markets.