Cross-cultural issues in advertising : implications for brand and global marketing efforts by consumer-oriented companies

Abstract

Globalization and increasingly sophisticated consumers worldwide, as well as the emergence of new media have created new challenges for the advertisers related to cross-cultural advertising as an effective approach to the establishment of the consumer-brand interaction. The environment in which a global company performs makes a marketing mix strategy rather challenging in terms of the specificities of a given foreign market, its cultural features and a prominent role and power of consumers. As a result, there are two parallel processes typical of today’s advertising strategies - equalization/convergence of diverse cultures or standardization and an increasing emphasis on the unique and recognizable features of diverse cultures or adaptation. Understanding the features of distinctive cultures is considered the core of effective localized advertising that mirrors cultural values and norms of the target consumer segment. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to explore the effects of the crosscultural approach to advertising strategy of a global organization - Adidas AG. Based on the Hofstede’s theory on cultural dimensions, the study applied a comparative content analysis of the selected Adidas advertisements in the UK and China to explore how cultural differences influence the advertising activities of multinational companies, supported by interviews with key experts in cross-cultural advertising, extensive literature review and analysis of a range of cultural features. This research is expected to help identify cultural-specific features in the ads and determine similarities and discrepancies between the two countries. Research findings have implications for advertisers, business and scholars in terms of further delineation of the contemporary context of the advertising industry - namely, the fact that brands today build their advertising strategies on a personal connection with consumers to achieve a lasting consumer-brand relationship. The study provides valuable insight into the importance of cultural awareness in effective advertising strategies across national borders.