Cultural Differences in Television Advertising (1)

May 5, 2009 by beniers
Filed under: Marketing 

Cultural differences in television advertising (1)

1. Introduction

Is it possible to persuade consumers in different markets with the same advertising message? Will they respond favourably? Or should the advertising message be customised to reflect local culture? This question is one of the most fundamental decisions when planning an advertising campaign in different cultural areas, and, not surprisingly, one of the most frequently discussed issues in advertising today. Whereas many anecdotes tell the story of failed, or misunderstood, advertising, little clarity exists what exactly makes advertising different from country to country, and what types of appeals are used to promote different products in different markets - if there should be any difference whatsoever.

One side in this debate emphasises that the world is growing ever closer, and that the world can be treated as one large market, with only superficial differences in values (Levitt, 1983). In their view, advertising and marketing can be standardised across cultures, and the same values can be used to persuade customers to buy or consume the product. The opposing side is content with the fact that the basic needs may well be the same around the world, however they argue that the way in which these needs are met and satisfied differs from culture to culture. Any marketing (and advertising) campaign should, in their view, reflect the local habits, lifestyles and economical conditions in order to be effective. In 1985, Woods et al. concluded in a study of consumer purpose in purchase in the US, Quebec and Korea, that “important differences are found in the reasons why they [the consumers] purchase products familiar to all three countries”.

Many researchers have contributed to the debate, examining a sample of advertising for particular ways of portraying lifestyle and themes used (Gilly, 1990; Tansey, Hyman & Zinkhan, 1990); advertising strategies and information content (Lin, 1993; Zandpour, Chang & Catalano 1992; Ramaprasad & Hasegawa, 1992), the use of humour (Weinberger & Spotts, 1989; Alden, Hower & Lee, 1992), Americanisation of appeals used (Wiles, Wiles & Tjernlund, 1996; Mueller 1992) or they tested for a mix of different themes, styles, appeals or advertising content. These studies, among others, and the magnitude of their findings have put significant doubt over the theories and applicability of standardised, global advertising. They clearly suggest to localise advertising messages to suit consumer expectation in each market (Albers-Miller, 1996b).

However, the degree of difference in advertising strategies and appeals used may well be very different not only from country to country, but also from product category to product category. As Zandpour, Chang and Catalano (1992) and Katz and Lee (1992) have pointed out, information content, creative strategy, format and content style differ with each product category.

2. Conceptual Background & Definitions

Ad creation, pre market testing and localisation

Advertising creation can vary enormously from one company promoting their products or services across borders to another company. Whereas real economic benefits, dominantly economies of scale, can be obtained by standardising advertising across borders, many companies choose not to do so, but rather to rely on local knowledge.

In order to create a commercial, an advertising agency is usually instructed to create the overall concept in line with the marketing objectives, create a set of different test commercials and pre-test the commercials for effectiveness. This is a crucial step for advertising creation, and often takes a relatively long time, in which the test commercials are tested qualitatively and quantitatively in focus groups, through questionnaires, in test markets, sample areas and so on. After successful testing, the real commercial is created, and finally airtime for the commercial is booked or auctioned (either directly or through a media agency). During and after the commercial is running, further tests are usually carried out in order to optimise advertising targets with real out comes, and commercials may be adjusted depending on the outcome.

In a survey of the Fortune 500 US-based multinational companies, Hite and Fraser (1988) reported, that - - 50% of these companies used a foreign (i.e. local to the market) agency for their advertising; - 21% used an international agency or network (i.e. an angency that maintained local offices in the target market); - 18% used a foreign affiliates of an in-house-agency.

In the same report, Hite and Fraser also observe a steep decline in the trend to use the same advertising (standardised advertising) in different markets. Earlier reports (Sorenson and Wiechmann, 1975; Boddewya, Soehl and Picard, 1986) reported that in 1975 only 20% of multinational companies utilised localised versions of their advertising, in 1986 the figure reported had grown to 39%. In their own survey, Hite and Fraser (1988) reported, that

- 36% of companies that advertise across borders use localised advertising, and that

- a further 56% use a combination strategy (such as the same images, different text).

- Only 8% used standardised advertising across borders.

They also reported, that

- 95% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed to change the language of their advertising depending on the target market,

- 59% the product attributes, 69% the models, 58% the scenic background and

- 31% the colours used. When carefully observed, this trend holds true for a large amount of European advertising.

- A number of companies use completely different commercials in the UK, the Netherlands and/or Germany, such as the German brands Müller and Holsten Pils.

- In Germany Müller’s commercials focus on the health benefits, whereas in the UK the commercials emphasise the taste of the yoghurt. Holsten’s German advertising features friendship and achievement set on a sailing boat at sea,

- whereas the UK advertising is a Monty Python style sketch set in a bar.

- Other commercials use the same images, but change the text completely: such as Max factor’s commercials featuring Madonna.

- In the UK, Madonna talks about how superficial life as a superstar is, and the lipstick is a mean used to seduce an attractive co-actor.

- In Germany, Madonna talks about how important it is to look good even in a kissing scene, and there is little evidence of intended seduction of the co-actor at all.

Prof. C.J.M. Beniers

NL Zoetermeer

05-05-2009

© Copyright 2009

Foreign TV commercial brands and cultural differences

UK TV ad humor

Many types of television advertising, advertising humor appeals (appealstohumor) is the most popular type in the UK. Studies show that 15% -20% of the developed countries, including some of the humor factor in television advertising, to the United Kingdom, this ratio much higher: about one-third or more of the ads chosen form of humor.

Scholar David. Lewis has been the brain with instruments to measure ads on television humorous reflection. Physiological results show that laughing or smiling, the compression of blood vessels allow more blood to be squeezed into the brain, so that secretion of the brain within the coffee too, producing a good mood, making the audience feel comfortable, so that people from a more positive product perspective. The study also showed that the effect of comedy and the plot of the brain is very similar to hypnosis, in this state, the audience's attention become very precise, warm. So humorous ads to people most likely to instill brand awareness. June 2005 the famous French Renault (Renault) car advertising, Renault car garage has a lively and different ready-made pet dog, after shaking the tail wiper audience can not help laughing, lovely; good music portal ( Hellmann) mayonnaise ad, a funeral people who should be delivering a speech at the funeral, but he complained that no mayonnaise, amusing and laugh.

In fact, history of domestic humor advertising early, many people still remember a few years ago by people on everybody's lips Shuanghui ham ad, Feng Gong and Ge You's a classic dialogue: Ling Ge want it? Ge Ling, who is? . But now, it seems that domestic advertising creative force and not the spark of humor to flourish. In fact, the use of humor throughout all areas, this is to make ads look to it one of the reasons. Advertising psychologist David. Lewis (DavidLewis) that the humor is surprisingly for many areas. Humor is a sharp tool, advertisers can use it to target narrowly defined population groups and attitude groups; because of its universality, as Tiger Balm, for everyone choose the easy way out. International Advertising Awards jury awards with a regular toilet humor (lavatorialhumour) advertising, a fact that also contributed to the advertising industry view - humor is the way to win the eyeball economy. Humor is a common sharing in many cases, but rarely as widely used as the British sense of humor.