<p>This study examines how consumers in an emerging market perceive the globalness and localness of family business brands compared to non-family business brands, and the extent to which these perceptions align with traditional brand classifications. Drawing on a consumer-centric framework, we surveyed 400 Mexican consumers who evaluated 25 brands across seven product categories. The findings reveal significant misalignments between brand origin (family versus non-family) and perceived global versus local positioning, suggesting that consumer perceptions are shaped more by symbolic cues, storytelling, and market presence than by ownership structures. Local brands retain strong relevance, and family business brands are not consistently recognized as such unless they explicitly communicate family-related attributes. This study contributes to international branding and family business literature by highlighting the role of consumer perception in brand categorization and offering practical guidance for brand managers navigating positioning strategies in culturally dynamic markets. Implications for managing misalignment and future research directions on perception antecedents are discussed.</p>