Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model that focuses on the cultural
drivers and trust outcomes of consumer perceptions on issues pertaining to the unethical marketing
behavior of firms. It specifically investigates: the role of cultural orientation in forming consumer
ethical ideology; the link between the consumer’s ethical ideology and his/her perceptions regarding
the unethical marketing behavior of firms; the effect of perceived unethical marketing behavior on
trust in firms; and the moderating role of gender, age, and education of the consumer.