Transcript Slide 1

Intercultural Communication
Cultural factors in advertising
Advertising Studies
•
Graham et. al. (1993) while studying how the host culture influences a firm’s
marketing strategies, found that German and Japanese companies adapt
their advertising strategies, to different degrees, in order to meet the cultural
requirements of their foreign markets.
•
Mueller (1987) found out just how important cultural values can be as they
relate to advertising message appeals. The researcher found that Japanese
magazines often forward more ”soft-sell” appeals and status appeals, and
less rational appeals. They also show more respect for elders in their
magazines.
•
Hong et al. (1987) also found that status appeals are stressed in Japanese
advertisements while the emphasis of individual determinism plays a major
role in American advertisements.
Cultural Similarities
• Boote (1982) completed an empirical comparative study of the value
structures in the UK, Germany, and France.
• Mueller (1991) found that a standardized approach was more
common between America and Germany than America and Japan.
This was due to the fact that a concentration on individual
gratification exists in the USA which a contrary emphasis on group
norms exists in Japan.
• The French, for instance, rely on far less television and print
advertising for information in regard to new products than Americans
(Green & Langeard, 1975). The French also subscribe to less
magazines, thus special advertising strategies, ones that differ
greatly from American advertising strategies, must be taken in
France, simply because media habits differ.
Cross-cultural study of advertising based on
advertisements for Beer
1. Only ads created for domestic brewers of both countries
were used
2. Ads must have been for the brand itself, not an event or
contest sponsored by the brand
3. The ads must have been current
Sample
The American sample: 24 commercial for 12 brands
The British sample: 38 commercials for 19 brands
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Beer study: Results (%)
Individualism/independence present
Modernity/newness
Achievement
Tradition/history
Eccentricity
Rhetorical style
Direct speech
Rhetorical style Indirect speech
Dominant advertising appeal
Emotional or sex
Humor
Occasion for product usage
Regular
Special or not applicable/
product not shown in use
USA
70.8
45.8
70.8
4.2
4.2
91.7
8.3
UK
15.8
0
10.5
44.7
81.6
2.6
97.4
78.9
21.1
8.1
91.9
14.3
83.8
85.7
16.2
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Comparing the UK, Ireland and the U.S.
(www.iol.ie/ressource/bates)
UK
I'm trying to return to a more simple way of life
32%
Ireland
U.S.
28%
46%
Couples should live together before getting married
33%
37%
28%
The man should be the boss of the house
18%
18%
29%
Women should put their family before their career
54%
54%
58%
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Cultural differences and toys
Ouch! There are other cultural differences.
American parents want the top selling kids kitchen
upgraded to include a TV on the worktop like most US
homes.
Meanwhile, the Spanish didn't like the packaging for the toy
kitchen because it showed a young boy doing the
cooking
and
the French didn't like the pink kitsch colors and demanded
more realism."
The Express, 6 December 2001
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de Mooij
• ”Although there is evidence of converging
economic and demographic systems in
Europe, there is no evidence of
converging value systems. On the
contrary, there is evidence that consumer
behaviour is diverging in Europe as
reflected in the consumption, ownership
and use of many products and services.”
(de Mooij,1998. Global Marketing and Advertising)
de Mooij
• ”The model developed by Hofstede
explains most of the variation of
consumption and consumer behaviour
across countries and enables marketing
executives to quantify the effects of
culture.”
• ???
Rokeach - values
Intrumental values (motivators)
Terminal values (end states)
Ambitious
Broadminded
Capable
Cheerful
Clean
Courageous
Forgiving
Helpful
Honest
Imaginative
Independent
Intellectual
Logical
Loving
Obedient
Polite
Responsible
Self-controlled
A comfortable life
An exciting life
A sense of accomplishment
A world at peace
A world of beauty
Equality
Family security
Freedom
Happiness
Inner harmony
Mature love
National security
Pleasure
Salvation
Self-respect
Social recognition
True friendship
Wisdom
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Cross-cultural value research problems
(de Mooij)
• Research reflects values/culture of the researcher
• Differences in rankings of priorities of values
• Terminal values of one culture may be instrumental in other
cultures
• Certain values of one culture may not exist in another culture
• Until recently mainly been based on U.S. tools
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de Mooij’s ”Value Paradoxes”
"Paradoxial values are found within cultures and between
cultures. Every culture has its opposing values."
"Value paradoxes are part of people's systems; they
reflect the desirable versus the desired in life. On the one
hand, one should not sin; on the other hand most of us do
sin now and again. We don't want to be fat, we should eat
healthy food, yet we do eat chocolate or drink beer and we
do get fat.”
”Because the important value paradoxes vary by culture,
value-adding advertising cannot be exported from one
culture to another.”
(de Mooij, Global Marketing and Advertising, p. 2)
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de Mooij’s ”Value Paradoxes”
VPs must be understood or you delude yourself and think
that the world is becoming one global culture with similar
values.
VPs reflect the desirable versus the desired in life
USA: freedom/belonging
Germany: freedom/order
Holland: freedom/affiliation
France: freedom/dependence
De Mooij: understanding and using the VPs of individual cultures =
effective marketing communications
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