Advertising across cultural borders

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2006 , 24 Pages , Grade: 1,0

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

When someone goes to another country and turns on the television or the radio or opens a magazine, he will find advertising which is different in comparison to what he is familiar with. One can learn a lot about the country and its culture if he looks close enough at their advertisements. As Jean-Marie Dru in his book ‘Disruption’ says “Nothing reflects a country and age better than its advertising.” (Tretyak, 2001, p. 185). One can find these differences not just in advertisings of local companies; they are also in advertisings of international companies. A good example is the commercial for the new VW Golf GTI. In Germany it is shown as a car for men who want to have a “cool” car. Here the focus is either on the experience older men already had with the former GTI or on the horse power of that car. When watching the commercial in the United States this is different. They have several drafts but all are very similar. A German engineer says that it is the time to “unpimp” the car of a young man which is damaged at the same time. Then the Golf GTI is shown. It is still presented as a “cool” and pimped car but which is already pimped when it is bought, so it does not need any aftermarket tuning. The last sentence of the engineer is “VW, German engineer in the house” with a strong German accent. So they also use the popular German engineering for their commercial and show the Volkswagen Group as a young company by choosing the way they speak. Here the focus is on young men who like to drive pimped cars.

Table of Contents

• 1 Different countries = Different advertising – Some examples
• 2 Cultural borders
• 3 Consumer behavior
• 4 Consequences for Advertising
  • 4.1 Standardization vs. Differentiation
  • 4.2 Advertising media
  • 4.3 Advertising in different cultures
    • 4.3.1 Advertising laws and regulations
    • 4.3.2 Comparative vs. non comparative advertising
    • 4.3.3 Adapting the advertisements to the cultures
      • 4.3.3.1 Advertising goals
      • 4.3.3.2 Values
      • 4.3.3.3 Role of genders
      • 4.3.3.4 Informational content
      • 4.3.3.5 Symbols
      • 4.3.3.6 Humor
      • 4.3.3.7 Disregarding the culture on purpose
• 5 Efficient worldwide advertising
  • 5.1 Announcements
  • 5.2 Association Transfer
  • 5.3 Lesson
  • 5.4 Drama
  • 5.5 Entertainment
  • 5.6 Imagination
  • 5.7 Special Effects
• 6 Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper aims to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with advertising across cultural borders. It focuses on the differences in advertising styles, strategies, and cultural nuances across various countries and how these differences can impact the success of advertising campaigns.

• Cultural Differences in Advertising
• The Impact of Cultural Context on Advertising Effectiveness
• Strategies for Adapting Advertising to Different Cultures
• Challenges of Standardization vs. Differentiation in Global Advertising
• The Role of Language, Symbols, and Humor in Cross-Cultural Advertising

Chapter Summaries

• Chapter 1: Different countries = Different advertising - Some examples This chapter explores the differences in advertising across various countries, highlighting how advertising can reflect the cultural context. The chapter uses examples of VW Golf GTI and DaimlerChrysler advertisements to illustrate how the same product can be marketed differently in Germany and the United States, reflecting the cultural nuances of each country.
• Chapter 2: Cultural borders This chapter delves into the importance of understanding cultural differences in advertising. The chapter emphasizes how language, religion, traditions, norms, values, and Hofstede's five cultural dimensions can influence advertising strategies. The chapter also cautions against language mistakes in translation and the need for careful consideration of cultural sensitivities.
• Chapter 3: Consumer behavior This chapter explores the impact of cultural differences on consumer behavior, focusing on how advertising can be tailored to specific cultural preferences and needs. The chapter discusses the role of cultural values, beliefs, and attitudes in shaping consumer decision-making.
• Chapter 4: Consequences for Advertising This chapter analyzes the implications of cultural differences for advertising strategies. It examines the debate between standardization and differentiation in global advertising and explores the impact of cultural factors on advertising media selection and execution. The chapter also discusses the importance of understanding and adapting to local laws and regulations, cultural norms, and consumer preferences.
• Chapter 5: Efficient worldwide advertising This chapter explores effective strategies for advertising across cultural borders. It examines various approaches to global advertising, including announcements, association transfer, lesson, drama, entertainment, imagination, and special effects. The chapter provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and how they can be tailored to specific cultural contexts.

Keywords

This paper focuses on the key concepts of cross-cultural advertising, cultural differences, advertising strategies, globalization, consumer behavior, language, symbols, humor, cultural adaptation, standardization, differentiation, and global marketing.

• College: Nürtingen University
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Bianca Bischoff (Author)
• Publication Year: 2006
• Pages: 24
• Catalog Number: V70839
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638626514
• Language: English
• Tags: Advertising