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 (%)

USA UK

Individualism/independence present 70.8 15.8

Modernity/newness 45.8 0

Achievement 70.8 10.5 

Tradition/history 4.2 44.7 

Eccentricity 4.2 81.6

Rhetorical style Direct speech 91.7 2.6

Rhetorical style Indirect speech 8.3 97.4

Dominant advertising appeal

Emotional or sex 78.9 8.1

Humor 21.1 91.9

Occasion for product usage

Regular 14.3 83.8

Special or not applicable/

product not shown in use 85.7 16.2

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Comparing the UK, Ireland and the U.S.(www.iol.ie/ressource/bates)

UK Ireland U.S.

I'm trying to return to a more simple way of life

32% 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 A comfortable lifeBroadminded An exciting lifeCapable A sense of accomplishmentCheerful A world at peaceClean A world of beautyCourageous EqualityForgiving Family securityHelpful FreedomHonest HappinessImaginative Inner harmonyIndependent Mature loveIntellectual National securityLogical PleasureLoving SalvationObedient Self-respectPolite Social recognitionResponsible True friendshipSelf-controlled 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/belongingGermany: freedom/order

Holland: freedom/affiliationFrance: freedom/dependence

De Mooij: understanding and using the VPs of individual cultures = effective marketing communications

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