ch 2 advertising and culture

8/11/2019 Ch 2 Advertising and Culture

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Advertising And Culture

Advertising is a non-personal form of promotion that is delivered through selected media outlets

that, under most circumstances, require the marketer to pay for message placement. Advertising has

long been viewed as a method of mass promotion in that a single message can reach a large numberof people. But, this mass promotion approach presents problems since many exposed to an

advertising message may not be within the marketers target market, and thus, may be an inefficient

use of promotional funds.

owever, this is changing as new advertising technologies and the emergence of new media

outlets offer more options for targeted advertising.

4Ps of MarketingProduct:!he product aspects of marketing deal with the specifications of the actual goods

or services, and how it relates to the end-users needs and wants. !he scope of a product generally

includes supporting elements such as warranties, guarantees, and support.

Pricing:!his refers to the process of setting a price for a product, including discounts. !he

price need not be monetary" it can simply be what is exchanged for the product or services, e.g.

time, energy, or attention. #ethods of setting prices optimally are in the domain of pricing science.

Placement (or distribution):refers to how the product gets to the customer" for example,point-of-sale placement or retailing. !his third $ has also sometimes been called $lace, referring to

the channel by which a product or service is sold %e.g. online vs. retail&, which geographic region or

industry, to which segment %young adults, families, business people&, etc. also referring to how the

environment in which the product is sold in can affect sales.

Promotion: !his includes advertising, sales promotion, publicity, and personal selling.

Branding refers to the various methods of promoting the product, brand, or company. !hese four

elements are often referred to as the marketing mix, which a marketer can use to craft a marketing

plan.

!he four $s model is most useful when marketing low value consumer products. 'ndustrial

products, services, high value consumer products require ad(ustments to this model. )ervices

marketing must account for the unique nature of services.

The 5 Ms of advertising


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* Mission

Money

Message

Media

Measurement

4 Stages of Marketing:

ntroduction stage

* costs are high

* slow sales volumes to start

* little or no competition - competitive manufacturers watch for acceptance+segment growth

losses

* demand has to be created

* customers have to be prompted to try the product

* makes no money at this stage

!ro"th stage

* osts reduced due to economies of scale

* )ales volume increases significantly

* $rofitability begins to rise

* $ublic awareness increases

* ompetition begins to increase with a few new players in establishing market

* 'ncreased competition leads to price decreases

Mature stage* osts are lowered as a result of production volumes increasing and experience curve effects

* sales volume peaks and market saturation is reached

* increase in competitors entering the market

* prices tend to drop due to the proliferation of competing products

* brand differentiation and feature diversification is emphasied to maintain or increasemarket share * 'ndustrial profits go down )aturation.

#ecline stage

* costs become counter-optimal

* sales volume decline or stabilie* prices, profitability diminish* profit becomes more a challenge of production+distribution efficiency than increased sales

$ulture

ulture %from the atin culture a stemming from colere, meaning /to cultivate/& is a term

that has different meanings. 0or example, in 1234, Alfred 5roeber and lyde5luckhohn


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compiled a list of 167 definitions of /culture/ in ulture8 A ritical 9eview of oncepts and

:efinitions. owever, the word /culture/ is most commonly used in three basic senses.

%dvertising and $ulture

Advertisements are one aspect of mass communication and are influenced by culture as

much as the programming or stories that they are enveloped within. 'n the advertising industry

specifically, there is debate about whether culture is reflected in advertisements. 't is not likely

that advertisements escape cultural influence, but the trick is to find the source. 'dentifyingcultural dimensions found to be correlated with content should be useful in understanding the

worlds people, and helpful for educators, government and other policy makers and businesses.

0or marketers it could mean gaining more confidence that new products and marketing

messages will be accepted and understood. !he purpose of this study is to explore the

relationships between cultural dimensions and particular characteristics of advertising. 0rom

these perspectives, mass media and culture are closely related and are not easily separated8

culture provides mass media with sources for content. All content must be derived from culture,including entertainment, news and advertisements, otherwise it could not be understood.

%dvertising and Po&ular $ulture

$opular culture %commonly abbreviated as pop culture& is the totality of distinct memes,

ideas, perspectives, and attitudes that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the

mainstream of a given culture. eavily influenced by mass media %at least from the early 4;th

century onward& and perpetuated by that cultures vernacular language, this collection of ideas

permeates the everyday lives of the society. $opular culture is often viewed as being trivial and

/dumbed - down/in order to find consensual acceptance throughout the mainstream. As a resultoft his perception, it comes under heavy criticism from various scientific and non-mainstream

sources %most notably religious groups and countercultural groups& which deem it superficial,

consumerist, sensationalist and corrupted. 't is manifest in preferences and acceptance or

re(ection of features in such various sub(ects as cooking, clothing, consumption, and the many

facets of entertainment such as sports, music, film, and literature. $opular culture is what we

have made out of products and practices of mass produced culture. $opular culture is the

expressive content that is produced and consumed. 't is light entertainment that is delivered

through the channels of mass media and finally absorbed voluntarily, to be absorbed by the

individual who receives it. $opular culture consists of the many facets of music, fashion, slang,

entertainment, and the newer forms of media like internet.

Music

Musical chronology


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1. 'i&&ies (early *+,s):!he hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that began

in the


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3ses of Music in %dvertising:

1. -ntertainment: =ood music can contribute to the effectiveness of an advertisement

merely by making it more attractive. A good ad engages the attention of an audience, and the

most straightforward way of achieving this is to fashion an appeal which is entertaining.

4. Structure$ontinuity:#usic may also be employed in various structural roles. $erhaps

the most important structural role is in tying together a sequence of visual images and+or a series

of dramatic episodes, narrative voice-overs, or a list of product appeals. !his is the function of

continuity. A second structural function is the use of music to heighten or emphasie dramatic

moments or episodes. !his single passage nicely illustrates how the composition of advertising

music may be constrained by several promotional goals simultaneously.

.Memorability:!he use of rhythmic foreshadowing points to a third important function

for music8 to increase the memorability of a product or the products name. onsumers are

known to favor products which elicit some degree of recognition or familiarity --even if it ismerely the products name. 't is one of the peculiarities of human audition and cognition that

music tends to linger in the listeners mind. )urprisingly, such musical lingering may occur even

when the mind is an unwilling host. !hus, the association of music with the identity of a certain

product may substantially aid product recall.

7. yrical anguage:A fourth technique of musical enhancement is the use of lyrical

language. Cocal music permits the conveyance of a verbal message in a non spoken way.

anguage utterances can sound much less naive or self-indulgent when couched within a

musical phrase rather than simply spoken. An individual can respectably sing things which

would sound utterly trite if said.

3. !argeting #any of the people who encounter a particular ad are simply in the wrong

game8 most people are not in the market for diapers, men do not generally purchase womens

shoes, and children have little interest in office furniture. A large portion of an advertising

budget will be wasted through misdirected messages. onsequently, advertisers are interested inmedia whose demographic characteristics more nearly match the market segment sought. !he

choice of media and broadcast scheduling can be used to focus more selectively on a particular

group or class of potential consumers. !his focusing in on a particular audience is called

/targeting.

-ntertainment9adio

!elevision

omputers

' $od $lay )tation

%dvertising and &o&ular culture


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Advertising and popular culture have come to occupy central positions with global economic

growth. Both are approached as economic entities as well as symbolic entities. $opular culture

offers lavish store to advertisers who try to create attractive messages for consumers. Advertisers

will approach popular cultural symbols such as celebrities and popular channels to promote their

product. Advertising is not depleting popular culture. !he interpretation of advertising is popculture is recognied. ighlights from one adds luster to the others. !he target audience is

always looking for symbols and meanings which alternate between the two domains.

$ase Study

!he arry $otter phenomenon has swept the American and British nations ever since author

?.5. 9owling came out with the famed and popular serious several years ago. !he arry $otter

serious is much more than a book on the best selling list. !he arry $otter series while it has

sold millions of copies and shattered numerous publish records. owever the greater extent that

one can examine the arry $otter phenomenon is by looking at its impact on the Americanculture. @hen the latest arry $otter book comes out, what comes to mind when you are

looking at schools that have (ust finished class for the dayE Fou actually see children outside the

school, sitting on the steps and reading the arry $otter books. !hose arry $otter books are noteasy to read at all. !he thickness of the book alone and its 3;; pages is intimidating enough not

to read. But the question is why children would go through such agony to read so many pages.

!he answer lies in the riveting material and imagination that lies in the arry $otter books.

American and British children and adults want to escape the hardships of their daily lives. 0or

many adults who read the arry $otter books, the stories in the book transports them away from

their boring and tedious lives of going to work each day. 0or children the books represent a

haven away from problems with their parents or friends. !he mind is transported to the magicalworld of ogwarts and the magic community. 'n the ngland, the arry $otter series

has created the movies which are block bust hits. )o far there have been 3 arry $otter films and

each one has gotten great reviews by the public. iteracy rates in the ngland have

grown tremendously and now more children than ever before have learned how to read. !he

arry $otter series has also taught children the values of hard work, caring for one another,kindness and friendship. 0or example, in the fifth book, arry rescues one of the !ri-@iard

contestants siblings who are trapped underwater even though he himself is trying to win the

competition. arry $otter also teaches the good vs. evil battle.

6ole of %dvertising in bringing about changes in $ulture7 $ustom andTradition

A characteristic of human culture is that change occurs. @e can see that how overtime

peoples habits, tastes, styles, behaviors and values have changed. 9apid industrialiation has

changed many long honored attitudes regarding time and women. 'nstant food, labors saving

devices, fast food establishments have all gained rapid acceptance. igh birth rate due to early

marriage, the indu religions emphasis on bearing sons, dependence on children for security


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and old age and low level of education among the rural masses are cultural patterns, which are

accepting gradual change due to advertising.

Advertising promotes more than mere products in our popular culture. 'mages used in

advertising are often idolied" they eventually set the standard which we in turn feel we must

live up to. Advertisements serve to show us what the ideal image is, and further tell us how toobtain it. Advertisers essentially have the power to promote positive images or negative images

this in turn affects our culture.

'n many cases, advertisers want to influence the public for buying a certain idea, product or

service, directly impacting their free wills. !he skilled public speaker and advertiser will take

advantage of peoples weakest points, such as greed and desire and attempt to sway them to do

what they want.

-8am&les:

1. !he cosmetic and fashion industries keep telling people that they will improve their selfimage with this cosmetic or that fashion.

4. !he manufacturers or cars, truck and )


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proven that over 3;G of commercials portraying women contained at least one camera shot

focusing on her chest. #en en(oy these images, and sadly, women tend to try to embody them,

regardless of the extent to which they degrade themselves.

Advertising has introduced innovation into culture by introducing an idea, product and

deliberately setting about to overcome resistance and cause to change culture. 't has alsoaccelerated the rate of acceptance. Advertising efforts whether successor failure leave their

imprint on culture.

$ase study

alvin 5lein ?eans Hne of the most recent, successful, and controversial ad campaigns of the

nineties is that of alvin 5lein. 'ronically, in contrast to the normal, ob(ectifying advertisements

that deface women altogether, 5lein focuses on his models expressions. owever, these

expressions are similar to those of a scared child. !he naked female model in turn looks even

more vulnerable than when she was faceless. ere, in this ad 5ate #oss is depicted as aninnocent scared child. er fingers touch her lips as if she is not permitted to speak, while her

eyes look as if they are bruised. #oss breast is exposed in this image, but instead of appearing

voluptuous, #oss appears to be almost prepubescent. )he stares vacantly and helplessly into thecamera. Again, women see these images as attractive to men and subsequently feel the need to

embody them.


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olors of Benetton.J !he concept of united colors was such a strong one that for the first time in

its history, the company adopted the slogan as its actual logo.

A trademark that became the driving force behind the Ixchange-9eserves witnessed

positive growth and effected tremendous growth of 'ndian >conomy.

!he economic reforms were initiated in 1221 in 'ndia in a demonstrative way after the

assassination of 9a(iv =andhi by Karsinmha 9ao. 'ncreased borrowing from foreign sources in

the late 12D;s, which helped fuel economic growth, led to pressure on the balance of payments.!he problem came to a head in August 122;when 'raq invaded 5uwait, and the price of oil soon

doubled. 'n addition, many 'ndian workers resident in $ersian =ulf states either lost their (obs or

returned home out of fear for their safety, thus reducing the flow of remittances. !he direct

economic impact of the $ersian =ulf conflict was exacerbated by domestic social and political

developments. 'n the early 122;s, there was violence over two domestic issues8 the reservationof a proportion of public-sector (obs for members of )cheduled astes %see =lossary& and the

indu-#uslim conflict at Ayodhya. !he central government fell in Kovember 122; and was

succeeded by a minority government. !he cumulative impact of these events shook international

confidence in 'ndias economic viability, and the country found it increasingly difficult to borrow

internationally. As a result, 'ndia made various agreements with the 'nternational #onetary 0und%'#0--see =lossary& and other organiations that included commitments to speed upliberaliation.

$eople around the globe are more connected to each other today than ever before in the

history of mankind. 'nformation and money flow more quickly than ever. =oods and services

produced in one part of the world are increasingly available in all parts of the world.

'nternational travel is more frequent. 'nternational communication is common place.


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@e live in an intensely interdependent world in which all the earths peoples with their

immense differences of culture and historical experience are compressed together in instant

communication. @e face today a world of almost infinite promise which is also a world of

terminal danger. !his phenomenon has been titled =lobaliation.

!he >ra of =lobaliation is fast becoming the preferred term for describing the current times.

?ust as the :epression, the old @ar >ra, the )pace Age, and the 9oaring 4;s are used to

describe particular periods of history" =lobaliation describes the political, economic, and

cultural atmosphere of today. @hile some people think of =lobaliation as primarily a synonym

for global business, it is much more than that. !he same forces that allow businesses to operate

as if national borders did not exist also allow social activists, labour organiers, (ournalists,

academics, international terrorists and many others to work on a global stage.

British 'mperialism or @estern olonialism did not die after the end of @orld @ar '' when

the @est gave up its colonies in Africa, Asia, atin America, @est 'ndies and the >ast 'ndies.=radually it changed itself into a more subtle form which is proving to be more harmful to all

non-@estern cultures both in the short run and the long run.

'ndian culture which in effect means indu culture, indu religion, indu society, indu

civiliation, indu way of life are under the lethal threat of the ruthless forces of =lobaliation

today. @hat went by the name of olonialism in classical history textbooks produced in the days

of British 9a( has been replaced today by the synonym of =lobaliation. !he unbridled

expansion of western culture has continued at an accelerated rate along with the denigration and

decline of indu culture, civiliation, religion, art, literature and customs. !his new olonialism

has taken on several new faces or rather put on new masks. 't cleverly masquerades itselfthrough labels and slogans like democracy, humanitarian rights, gender equality,

internationalism, free trade and humanitarianism. 'n the name of moderniation and

=lobaliation it pretends to be uplifting peoples whom it is really exploiting. !his is not very

different in either kind or intent from old @estern olonialism L British 'mperialism in the

'ndian context L which vaunted itself as the benign bringer of iviliation and culture to theuncivilied world. 't was given the glorious title of @hite #ans Burden.

9eligion provided the needed rationale for this cruel plunder. All native indus were

dismissed as heathens or pagans L despicable creatures who dont have to be treated like human

beings till they take their fateful decision to embrace hristianity. According to the missionaries

who came to 'ndia to play second fiddle to the British 'mperial rulers, hristianity was the onlytrue religion. ?esus hrist was the only true =od. All other religions like induism, ?ainism,

Buddhism, )ikhism, and many other traditional faiths and religions in 'ndia had to be eliminated

to save the souls of 'ndia and 'ndians. All facets and all aspects of indu religion and indu

society were dismissed as idolatry and superstition, in order to advance the noble hristian

pursuit of salvation for the barbarous heathens of 'ndia.


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!hough all forms of olonial >mpire in the geographical sense came to an end after the ''

@orld @ar, yet the same forms of colonial exploitation continue even today in all parts of Asia,

Africa and atin America under the banner of that all-embracing umbrella called =lobaliation.

@hat has been its impact on culture in 'ndiaE >very educated 'ndian seems to believe that

nothing in indu 'ndia, past or present, is to be approved unless recognied and recommended

by an appropriate authority in the @est. !here is an all-pervading presence of a positive, if notworshipful, attitude towards everything in western society and culture, past as well as present in

the name of progress, reason and science. Kothing from the @est is to be re(ected unless it has

first been weighed and found wanting by a @estern evaluation.

)wamy Civekananda foresaw the dangers of =lobaliation as early as in 1D2when he spoke

at the $arliament of @orld 9eligions in hicago. !o quote his soul-stirring words8 )hall 'ndia

dieE !hen, from the world all spirituality will be extinct, all sweet-souled sympathy for religion

will be extinct, all ideality will be extinct "and in its place will reign the duality of lust and

luxury as the male and female deities, with money as its priest, fraud, force, and competition its

ceremonies, and human soul its sacrifice. )uch a thing can never be. $recisely such a terriblething is taking place in 'ndia today on account of the inexorable and immutable process of

=lobaliation.

Making Messages $ulture S&ecific

ultural misunderstandings can raise havoc on the best business plans. >ven though it is

basic communication tool of advertising in foreign lands, advertisers often fail to develop even a

basic understanding of foreign languages, much less master the linguistic nuances that reveal

unspoken attitudes and information Ieven a good interpreter doesnt solve the problemJ e.g.

business terms in >nglish and ?apanese often have different meanings. inguisticcommunication, no matter how imprecise is explicit, but much business communication depends

on implicit messages not verbalied. 'n some cultures, messages are exploiting, the word scarry

most of the information. 'n order cultures, less information is contained in the verbal part of the

message since more lies in the context. !he advertiser must achieve expert communication that

is gained by a thorough understanding of the language for making messages culture specific.Advertising copywriters should be concerned less with obvious differences between languages

and more with idiomatic meanings expressed.

Ko generalied recommendation can be made about whether to adapt or standardie

international advertising. 't depends on the product, the culture, and user pattern and so on.Advertising efforts are moving towards a centralied position, standardie where possible andadapt where necessary, which generally translates into pattern advertising.

Kescafe has a global brand but advertising messages and formulations vary to suit cultural

differences. 'n ?apan and ven in this situation there is some standardiation all ads have one common

emotional link Iwhatever good coffee means to you and however you like to serve it, Kescafe


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has a coffee for you.J #arkets are constantly changing and are in the process of becoming more

alike but the world is far from being a homogenous market with common needs and wants for

all products. Advertising strategies can be transferred but the creative execution must be

changed to suit the local context.

$hallenges aced ;y nternational %dvertising

!he growing intensity of international competition, coupled with the complexity of

multinational marketing, demands that the international advertisers function at the highest level.

A successful advertisement in one country cannot be simply transferred or translated into

another countrys market without understanding the peculiarities of that country.

egal $onsiderations

:ifferent countries have different advertising laws that need to be accepted and followed.

!herefore while creating advertisements it is very important to know the laws that are imposedin that particular country. 'n =ermany it is illegal to use any comparative terminology a

competitor can sue you if you do so. Belgium and 0rance explicitly ban comparative advertising,

where as it is clearly authoried in the xisting perceptions based on tradition andheritage is often hard to overcome.

Media imitations

A marketers creativity is certainly challenged when a television commercial is limited 1;

showings a year with no exposures closer than 1; days as is the case initially. reative

advertisers in some countries have even developed their own media for overcoming media


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limitations. 'n some African countries, advertisers run boat sup and down rivers playing popular

music and broadcasting commercial into the bush as they travel.

$ase Study

Coke and Pepsi

:ifferent countries accept ads in different ways. ulture of countries plays an important rolein legal consideration of advertisements. @hat is accepted by one countries culture may not be

accepted by some other countries culture. 'n some places it is illegal to use any comparative

terminology" a competitor can sue you if you do so. @hereas it is clearly authoried to use

comparative techniques in some places. $epsi for its campaign I?oy of $epsiJ came up with an

ad which showed a kid stepping on coke can in order to reach up to get $epsi from the vending

machine. !his ad was a direct case of effective comparative advertising. 't was only allowed to

be screened in Ketherlands and was banned in all the other countries. Hn the other hand 'ndia

too has come up with comparative strategies wherein the competitors brand is left disclosed. !he

'ndian advertising culture does not allow direct comparing of brands of the same product

category. )o in 'ndia the ad message is very subtly brought out.

$ase study 2

Mc Donalds

#c:onalds worldwide is well known for the high degree of respect for the local customers

and cultures. #c:onalds has its menu different from place to place to suit the peoples taste. 'n

America they have pork and beef burgers as their main menu. @hile #c:onalds has developed

a menu especially for 'ndia with vegetarian selections to suit 'ndian tastes and preferences.

5eeping in line with this #c:onalds does not offer any beef or pork items in 'ndia. 'n the last 4

years, it has introduced some vegetarian and some non vegetarian products with local flavors

that have appealed to the 'ndian palate. #c:onalds has also re- engineered its operation toaddress the special requirements of a vegetarian menu. Cegetable products are 1;;G vegetarian

and are separately prepared using different equipments and utensils. $ure veg oil, cheese and

sauces are completely veg and egg less. )eparate vegetarian and non vegetarian food products

are maintained throughout the various stages of procurement, cooking and serving.

$ommerciali9ation of $ulture

ommercialiation, as a process can be defined as introducing a new product in the market

which has previously been protested. ommercialiation is the actual launch of the new product

which is the final stage of the new product development process.

Advertisements, mass production, sacrificing quality for time and quantity, the desire for

bigger and better, these are the problems of commercialism. ommercialism has been advancing

nearly unnoticed by most consumers even since Babylonian times. But, what makes it harmful

enough to be explained in a paperE


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>very day we sit in our homes desiring goods and services that we do not need or may not

even want, and discussing issues that have little or no importance to our lives other than to make

small talk. >very day we work hard to buy stuff that is better or at least equal to what society

considers normal. @e are fashioning ourselves to be boringly equal cogs in one giant corporate

machine, and in turn, are losing our culture to business and propaganda. @hen a new /hipper/

culture appears, commercialists explode the culture across our country like a plague. @hataverage adult would not know what a skateboard is, what reggae music is, or what #iddle >ast

tension isE @e have all been commercialied by the news.

%bstract

@hen political economists analye the commercialiation of culture, they tend to focus upon

structural characteristics by which cultural products are transformed into commodity forms. By

expanding this inquiry into the social relations of culture and ideology, however, it may be

possible to open further dimensions of analysis. )pecifically, how do the structural relations of

production %for example, ownership and control, economies of scale, modes of distribution& bearupon the social and ideological relations of consumptionE >llen 9iordan %4;;4& insists that the

way in which structure influences media content and ideology within the context of consumer

practices is under explored and under theoried. I'n order to further understand capitalism, andits relationship to the daily lives of people, political economists must focus on the meaning of

consumption, not only as it results from a crisis of overproduction, but alsoN %in& understanding

wants and desires as experienced by individuals and groups of peopleNJ %9iordan6&.!o that

end, it looks at three cultural products whose structures of production have deep relations to the

ideology and practice of consumption. 't explores the phenomenon of malling, a place Ito shore

up the boundaries of the self via commodities which beckon with promise of perfectionNJ

%#orse 12D&. 't looks at the commercialiation of childrens culture in which business synergiesare resulting, critics say, in the appropriation of childs play and imagination. And finally, it

examines the relations between advertisers and magaines, where policies of control and

censorship lead to the reproduction of idealied images, and people are made to identify

themselves not with what they produce, but with what they consume ase )tudy1& !he

9M:+production interface is a key component of the innovation process. >ffective transfer oftechnology across this interface has a direct bearing on the success of commercialiing new

technologies. #artin =inn and Albert 9ubenstein intensively studied three strategic business

units of a ma(or chemical company to examine how behavioral and performance variables

interrelate for the key participants. !he interface was found to be a key focus for interpersonal

conflict. !he conflict was found to be exacerbated by such factors as goal incompatibility,

manufacturing complexity, uncertainty of product outcomes, exercises of power, andimperatives for action. 'nterestingly, pro(ects which were more successful, both technically and

commercially, tended to have higher levels of conflict and more super ordinate goals than those

that were less successful. 'ncreasing compatibility of goals among participating groups is

suggested as a means for improving interface relations.4& !his study investigates the impacts of

tourism, as perceived by the residents of $ythagorion, a well-established tourism destination on

the =reek island of )amos. 'nterviews conducted with heads of households revealed that


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residents not only supported the current magnitude of the tourism industry but also favored its

expansion. :espite this, the respondents identified a number of negative tourism impacts, which,

in their opinion, affected the town. !hese impacts included high prices, drug addiction,

vandalism, brawls, sexual harassment and crimes. !he study reconfirmed that those respondents

who were economically dependent on tourism had more positive attitudes towards the industry

than those who were not dependent on it.

$ross $ultural Psychological Segmentation

ross-cultural advertising is a responsible effort to borrow those cultural ways seen as helpful

for the better solution to a societys particular problem. 't ross-cultural advertising is a

responsible effort to borrow those cultural ways seen as helpful for the better solution to a

societys particular problem. 't is important for an advertiser to learn about the different cultures

worldwide if he wants to globalie a brand.

!he basic elements of culture that define the behavior of buyers are their lifestyles, attitudes,gender, perceptions, habits, behaviors, wants and needs. !he social factors responsible are L

reference groups, family, social roles and statuses. $rimary groups can be classified as family,

friends, neighbors and co-workers. )econdary groups can be religious, professional, trade union.

'n ross cultural psychological segmentation, buyers are divided into different groups on the

basis of psychological and personal traits, lifestyles, or values. $eople within the same

demographic group can exhibit very different psychological profiles. Calues and lifestyles

significantly affect the product and brand choices of customers. 9eligion has significant

influence on values and lifestyles. !he strict norms that consumers follow with respect to food

habits or even dress codes are representative examples in this regard.

!here are two types of knowledge, factual knowledge about culture which is obvious and must

be learnt. :ifferent meanings of colour, different taste etc. and other traits indigenous to a

culture are facts that an advertiser, marketer can anticipate, study and absorb. !he other is

interpretative knowledge, an ability to understand and fully appreciate the meanings of differentcultural traits and patters. 0actual knowledge as a fact about culture assumes additional

significance whereas the interpreted within the context of the culture.

'n cross cultural psychological segmentation, customers are divided into 4 ma(or groups, they

are higher resource groups and lower resource groups.

The ma


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4. Thinkers:#ature, satisfied, and reflective people who are motivated by ideal and value

order, knowledge, and responsibility. 0avor durability, functionality, and value in products.

. %chievers:)uccessful goal oriented people who focus on career and family. 0avor a premium

product that demonstrates success to their peers.

7. -8&erience,s:Foung, enthusiastic, impulsive people who seek variety and excitement. )pend

a comparatively high proportion of income on fashion, entertainment, and socialiing.

The malderly, passive people who are concerned about change. oyal to their favorite

brands.

$ase Study :!he market for wrist watches provides illustrations of segmentation based on

lifestyle parameters. !itan watches have a wide range of sub-brands within their brand, such as

>dge, 9egalia, Kebula and 9aga, to appeal to different lifestyle segments. )ome of these modelsare ornate watches with gold plated bracelets while some have leather straps. !he brand !itan is

prominently mentioned in these ranges. !he companys range of watches under the 0astrack

brand is for the youth. !he company has another value-for-money brand, )onata, targeted at

people who want to own a good-looking watch at an affordable price.

$ase study 2:#ultinational companies spread all over the world use different ad strategies for

every country depending upon their buying habits, culture and people. >.g.8 $epsi ays etc.

>eed for assimilation of universal ideas "ith local flavors

ulture refers to the beliefs and practices and the ob(ects through which they are organied that

are widely shared amongst the population. Advertisement and culture go hand in hand.

'n advertisement it is very important, the way you promote your product through the ads to the

masses. 't should be very much reachable and understandable to the masses. 'n such a case

promoting a foreign product in metropolitan cities is much easier than promoting your product


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in a remote area so for an advertising company the biggest challenge is to make the remote area

masses to make them aware oft heir product and its uses. )o for that advertising company tries

assimilation of a foreign product and put their thoughts mixing it up with the local ideas. )o they

promote their product foreign product to the remote areas but in a local way.

or e8am&le:$romoting a foreign product as like =illette )have =el Ad in )outh so their mainaim would be to motivate the people to buy as well as make them understand importance of the

product. )o they would promote their product in their local language like %!amil&. 'nstead of

using any ollywood actor and promoting their product they would use 9a(nikanth so people

would understand better and would get inspired as 9a(nikanth is a localite. )o it very much

obvious for a foreign company to promote their ad having a universal idea as well as the local

flavor the place where they are trying to promote their product.

:o you have a great idea for a product or a service that meets the need or solve a problem of the

locals and you wish to develop it furtherE !his could be in the brain storming stages, or it could

be developed in drawings or models or an up and running business but an every given step it isnecessary to take into consideration the normal public that is the target in order to maximie the

sales and profitability. 0or this very purpose it is utmost important to display or interact with the

local public in their local dialect or in a friendlier ways. Kot always are all ideas new or inventedmany a times the old ones are modified and portrayed in a new way so it proves quite efficient to

catch the imagination of the people in that particular area .

>ver imagine the advertisement of I?>: H0A))'#'A!'K= A) 'K HA 0ACH9J

#c:onalds is considered as one of the huge hits in 'ndia because they have promoted their

foreign company product in such a way. And also they have a tadka of 'ndian flavor in it. !heir

promotional ads on !C are mainly having a tadka of 'ndian flavor in it that is why it has been a

huge hit in 'ndia )o hence it is considered very important for advertisers to promote the foreign

as well as 'ndian product in such a way that it has an assimailtion of universal idea but with alocal flavor involved in it. 't helps in a better to reach the masses to know about the product and

give them knowledge about the product.

't is a =overnment of 'ndia initiative to help farmers in need and so for this reason they have

made advertisements that explains a farmer about how to harvest, sow, irrigate, supply etc. Ads

related to Agricultural operations will only be shown in remote areas. 'f the ads were to be


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shown in languages that are not understood they would fall on deaf ears and more than helping it

would cause chaos so for all. )o for that reason they are shown in different languages depending

on the region of advertisement so that the people there can easily understand the meaning of the

ads and can easily follow the instructions given in it.

As it says in the above line and in the examples explained above it is very necessary for anadvertiser to understand the requirements, conditions, literacy rate and above all the nature of

the people in a particular area before drawing conclusions of making a ad for that very area and

even becomes more important for him to make references to the works done before him.

0urther examples for the same will help you understand this topic better.

The role of local flavor and its benefits

Advertisers have to realie that different cultures often seek the same value or benefit from the

primary function of a product. >g8 a car to taking you from A to B, a camera to take picture or awristwatch to tell time. But what is important is that other features and psychological attributes

of the items can have significant differences 0or instance a camera L 'n


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Advertising need to watch out for nationalistic themes intentionally or unintentionally offend

other countries, e.g. 'n )pain, ?apanese scooters had a ma(or share if market. Cespa ads urged to

vaccinate themselves against a strange yellow fever. !he red circles in the ads were seen as

direct reference to the ?apanese flag, this ad conveyed that Cespa was the remedy and ?apanese

scooters were a disease

or choosing globali9ation the follo"ing checklist is &rovided

* Are markets homogeneous or heterogeneousE* :o the products have universal appeal or it is localiedE

* :oes the company have local staff need to manage a localied campaignE

* 'f the local staff is available do they have decision Lmaking authority with regard to

advertisingE

* :o the countries have a similar level of economic developmentE

* Are legal restrictions and advertising different enough to require change of strategy from

country to countryE* Are there similar media in each countryE

* 's the agency capable of handling advertising in each countryE

$ross $ultural %dvertising

ulture affects everything we do. !his applies to all areas of human life from personal

relationships to conducting business abroad. @hen interacting within our native cultures, culture

acts as a framework of understanding. owever, when interacting with different cultures this

framework no longer applies due to cross cultural differences. ross cultural communication

aims to help minimie the negative impact of cross cultural differences through buildingcommon frameworks for people of different cultures to interact within. 'n business, cross

cultural solutions are applied in areas such as 9, team building, foreign trade, negotiations and

website design. ross cultural communication solutions are also critical to effective cross

cultural advertising. )ervices and products are usually designed and marketed at a domestic

audience.

@hen for a product is then marketed at an international audience the same domestic advertising

campaign abroad will in most cases be ineffective. !he essence of advertising is convincing

people that a product is meant them. By purchasing it, they will receive some benefit, whether it

be lifestyle, status, convenience or financial. owever, when an advertising campaign is takenabroad different values and perceptions as to what enhances status or gives convenience exist.

!hese differences make the original advertising campaign defunct. 't is therefore critical to any

cross cultural advertising campaign that an understanding of a particular culture is acquired. By

way of highlighting areas of cross cultural differences in advertising a few examples shall be

examined.


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anguage in $ross $ultural %dvertising

't may seem somewhat obvious to state that language is key to effective cross cultural

advertising. owever, the fact that companies persistently fail to check linguistic implications of

company or product names and slogans demonstrates that such issues are not being properly

addressed. !he advertising world is littered with examples of linguistic cross cultural blunders.Hf the more comical was 0ords introduction of the O$into in Brail. After seeing sales fail, they

soon realised that this was due to the fact that Brailians did not want to be seen driving a car

meaning Otiny male genitals. anguage must also be analyed for its cultural suitability. 0or

example, the slogan employed by the computer games manufacturer, >A )ports, /hallenge

>verything/ raises grumbles of disapproval in religious or hierarchical societies where

harmonious relationships are maintained through the values of respect and non-confrontation. 't

is imperative therefore that language be examined carefully in any cross cultural advertising

campaign.

$ommunication Style in $ross $ultural %dvertising


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@hen advertising abroad, the cultural values underpinning the society must be analyed

carefully. 's there a religion that is practiced by the ma(ority of the peopleE 's the society

collectivist or individualistE 's it family orientatedE 's it hierarchicalE 's there a dominant

political or economic ideologyE All of these will impact an advertising campaign if left

unexamined. 0or example, advertising that focuses on individual success, independence andstressing the word /'/ would be received negatively in countries where teamwork is considered a

positive quality. 9ebelliousness or lack of respect for authority should always be avoided in

family orientated or hierarchical societies. By way of conclusion, we can see that the principles

of advertising run through to cross cultural advertising too. !hat is Lknow your market, what is

attractive to them and what their aspirations are. ross-cultural advertising is simply about using

common sense and analying how the different elements of an advertising campaign are

impacted by culture and modifying them to best speak to the target audience.

>xamples

* 1. ollywood star 9ichard =ere has been roped in as the brand ambassador for Cisa

'nternational for the Asia $acific market. A 2;-second commercial - Birds - featuring =ere

has been shot in ?odhpur for the companys new advertisement campaign that was aired in>nglish and indi across the Asia $acific. =ere was chosen after lots of research for a brand

ambassador, since he suits both 'ndian as well as $acific markets.

* 4. $epsi launched this campaign in 'ndia in 4;;3. !his is a perfect example of cross cultural

advertising. )umo that belongs to ?apanese culture and footballers were used to advertise

$epsi in 'ndia. !his ad was a huge hit in the 'ndian market which gradually increased the

sales in 'ndia

ch 2 advertising and culture

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