This research aimed to show whether responses to shock advertising campaigns are influenced by culture
The aim and objectives for this research included to analyse the techniques and impact of shock advertising, evaluate the cultural characteristics of Germany and England in relation to the perception of advertising, analyse the impact of four selected campaigns on Benetton’s financial performance and to critically evaluate the extent to which culture influences the acceptance of shock advertising through focus groups/questionnaires. The gathered data from questionnaires and focus groups was then compared and contrasted against the findings from secondary sources as well as against each other.
The comparison of the three types of research showed that differences between both cultures exist. Both countries have different approaches towards the Benetton campaigns:
Germany strategically and England emotionally. This does not necessarily mean they respond differently to them, although research has shown that, as opposed to data gathered in the secondary literature, Germany responded more tolerantly and openly to the campaigns than expected, whereas England, expected according to the secondary literature to understand advertising based on creativity, did just the opposite.
The English group rated the shock factor more strongly than the German group, proving that responses to shock advertising are dependent on cultural influences.
The results from this research therefore show that responses to these campaigns are affected by culture especially in emotional campaigns such as the Benetton ones and companies should take these differences into account. Obviously it is cheaper and easier to run a standardized global campaign; however, this does not take different cultures in different countries into account which might harm brand perception due to misunderstandings and different decoding approaches.
The phenomenon of globalisation will be of great interest for further research as it brings cultures closer together. The research, over a larger timeframe, might show how cultures are becoming more similar and therefore a standardised advertising strategy might be more useful than ever.
Table of Contents
Rationale
Introduction
Literature Review
Evaluating current literature on shock advertising
Methodology
Methodology
Secondary data
Primary data
Sampling
Pilot study
Focus groups
Research process
Questionnaire session
Chi-square analysis
Chapter One
Introduction to the advertising culture and Benetton
The German customer and perspective on advertising
The English customer and perspective on advertising
Benetton’s advertising and finances
Oliviero Toscani’s philosophy of advertising
Chapter 2
Research in Germany
Chapter three
Research in England
Analysis
Chapter four
Focus group discussions in Germany and England
The campaigns
First impressions
Advertising strategy
Chapter five
Conclusions and Recommendations
Triangulation comparison
Secondary research
Questionnaires
Focus groups
Conclusion
Critical review of the research process
Recommendations
Objectives & Core Themes
This research aims to determine whether consumer reactions to shock advertising are fundamentally influenced by cultural background, using the controversial Benetton campaigns directed by Oliviero Toscani as a primary case study. The work investigates how audiences in Germany and England perceive identical marketing stimuli to identify potential cross-cultural differences in decoding and response.
- Analysis of shock advertising techniques and their cognitive impact.
- Evaluation of specific cultural characteristics in Germany and England regarding advertising perception.
- Examination of the relationship between controversial campaigns and brand performance.
- Critical comparison of quantitative questionnaire data and qualitative focus group findings.
- Investigation of the influence of national identity on advertising acceptance.
Excerpt from the Book
Rationale
Herbert Simon, the winner of the 1978 Nobel Prize for Economics, wrote: "What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it."
Advertisements are information, and too many of them means consumers have to ration their attention. Consumers were exposed to 600 advertisements a day and we now to 3,000 (Study: Jupiter Research cited on http://www.coams.com/NewHome /theOutlook/0010/adprolif.htm), it is obvious that the average amount of attention we pay to each will be cut proportionately.
This leads advertisers to become desperate to break through the clutter and more willing to try new ways of grabbing consumers’ attention. Benetton’s answer to this was SHOCK! Benetton used shocking graphics and socially controversial topics for their advertising campaigns. However, even though much research has been undertaken on advertising, not much has been researched about the phenomenon of shock advertising. Benetton ran these controversial campaigns on a global basis, but it is not known if potential customers from all over the world decode the message in the same way. Being a German, living in Britain has shown me that even though we live on the same continent there are huge differences in how we perceive certain issues. So is it possible that two different cultures decode and understand controversial campaigns in the same way? Initial research suggested there is little or no literature on this issue. This made this topic very interesting especially as subjects as advertising management, consumer behaviour and international marketing always have been of great interest.
Summary of Chapters
Rationale: Discusses the necessity of shock advertising as a mechanism to capture consumer attention amidst the information overload of modern media environments.
Introduction: Outlines the research focus on Benetton's provocative campaigns and the underlying investigation into how cultural differences affect consumer perception.
Literature Review: Explores existing communication models, including AIDA, and discusses the limited academic research regarding the effectiveness and reception of shock tactics.
Methodology: Details the research design, including the use of both secondary literature and a primary data triangulation approach consisting of questionnaires and focus groups in Germany and England.
Chapter One: Provides a comparative profile of German and English consumer attributes, analyzing their respective perspectives on advertising and business.
Chapter 2: Presents the findings and statistical analysis of the questionnaire data gathered from the German participant sample.
Chapter three: Presents the findings and statistical analysis of the questionnaire data gathered from the English participant sample.
Chapter four: Analyzes the qualitative findings from focus group discussions, contrasting emotional and analytical responses to specific Benetton campaigns.
Chapter five: Synthesizes the results from both methodologies, drawing final conclusions on the influence of culture on advertising and providing recommendations for future research.
Keywords
Shock advertising, Benetton, Oliviero Toscani, cultural influence, consumer behaviour, international marketing, cross-cultural, communication, perception, Germany, England, brand awareness, qualitative research, quantitative research, advertising strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of this dissertation?
The research investigates whether consumer responses to shock advertising campaigns, specifically those used by Benetton, are shaped by the cultural background of the audience.
What are the primary themes examined in this work?
The work focuses on the effectiveness of shock tactics, the cultural profiles of Germany and the UK, cross-cultural communication, and how these factors impact consumer brand perception.
What is the main research question?
The study seeks to answer to what extent cultural variables influence the acceptance and interpretation of controversial, emotionally-charged advertising stimuli.
Which scientific methodologies are utilized?
The research employs a triangulation method, combining secondary source reviews, quantitative questionnaires with 30 participants per country, and qualitative focus group interviews.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It provides a comparative cultural analysis of German and English consumers, details the results of primary data collection regarding four specific Benetton campaigns, and discusses the findings against existing theory.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The work is defined by terms such as shock advertising, cultural influence, cross-cultural communication, consumer behaviour, and Benetton's global marketing strategy.
How do the German and English participants differ in their perception?
Generally, the research indicates that the German group approaches the campaigns with more analytical detachment, while the English group tends to react more emotionally and with greater levels of offense.
Did the participants correctly decode Benetton's intended messages?
The study found that less than one-third of participants across both cultures were able to correctly identify the intended messages behind the campaigns, suggesting frequent decoding failures in cross-cultural advertising.
What is the author's final conclusion?
The author concludes that cultural influences significantly shape responses to shock advertising, and that companies risks harming their brand reputation if they ignore these cultural nuances in global standardized campaigns.
- Quote paper
- Kerstin Holz (Author), 2006, Shock advertising. Are consumer responses affected by culture? A case study on Benetton campaigns under Oliviero Toscani examining German and English responses, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/69778
