The relevance of this topic is shown by the following true story of the Gerber Company:
Gerber once decided to sell their brand of baby food in a West African country. They exported the product and ran the same copy that had been selling jars for them by the billion since 1926. They put the famous label on the jar, with the baby wearing a big smile which, over the years, had helped them become a household name back home.
Reports soon came back from the distributor, announcing zero sales. Later, reports came back on the national news, telling or rioting in the streets, and casualties. Worried company chiefs watching television back home in the Unites States thought they glimpsed people burning copies of their poster in the background.
Much later, it transpired that in many African countries, there was a very real but hitherto undocumented assumption that what you see on the label is what′s in the jar. This came over to consumers as a coarse hint that the little boy, far from endorsing the product, was the product: people thought they were being expected to feed their black babies with white baby. Sensibilities were naturally offended by this immodest proposal, and outrage soon gave way to violence. (Anholt, 2000:51)
This story shows that culture has an enormous impact on advertisements. The fact that makes it more important than it has never been before, is globalization. As more and more companies are taking the decision to market their products abroad, they are facing cultural and linguistic dilemmas which international advertising invariably raises.
This report aims to give an insight into this complex subject.
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Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Types of Advertising
- Culture
- Definition of Culture
- Influences of Culture on Advertising
- Success of Coca-Cola
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This report aims to provide an insight into the complex relationship between culture and advertising. It explores how cultural differences impact the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, particularly in a globalized market.
- The importance of understanding cultural nuances in advertising
- The impact of globalization on advertising strategies
- The role of language in cultural communication
- The challenges of creating effective international advertising campaigns
- The need for culturally sensitive advertising to avoid negative reactions
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction uses a real-world example of Gerber's failed baby food marketing campaign in Africa to highlight the significant impact of culture on advertising. The chapter discusses the growing need for cultural sensitivity in advertising due to globalization and the increased presence of companies in international markets.
Chapter 2 provides an overview of different types of advertising media, including print, television, radio, outdoor, and cinema. It highlights the unique characteristics and reach of each medium and its relevance in the advertising landscape.
Chapter 3 delves into the concept of culture, defining it as a set of beliefs, standards, habits, and norms. The chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural differences in advertising, particularly the role of language as a reflection of culture. It highlights the challenges of creating effective international advertising campaigns that resonate with diverse cultural audiences.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this text are: culture, advertising, globalization, international marketing, cultural differences, language, communication, advertising strategies, cultural sensitivity, cross-cultural communication, consumer behavior.
- Quote paper
- Franziska Pfund (Author), 2002, The influence of culture on advertisement, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/7725
