Advertising All Over the World

How can a rabbit be stronger than a football hero? How can a rabbit be more powerful than a big, strong man? In the world of advertising, this is quite possible. Consider the example of Jacko. This great Australian football hero recently appeared on TV and yelled at the audience to buy products. Jacko's angry campaign worked well in Australia, so Energizer batteries invited him north to sell their product in the United States. But Jacko's yelling did not convince the American audience to buy batteries. So, good-bye, Jacko. Hello, Energizer, Bunny, the little toy rabbit that has sold far more batteries than Jacko.

In the world of advertising, selling products is the most important goal. As companies are becoming more global, they are looking for new ways to sell their products all over the world. It is true that because of global communication, the world is becoming smaller today. But it is also true that the problems of global advertising — problems of language and culture — have become larger, than ever. For example,

Braniff Airlines wanted to advertise its fine leather seats. But when its advertisement was translated from English to Spanish, it told people that they could fly naked! Another example of wrong translation is when Chevrolet tried to market the Chevy Nova in Latin America. In English, the word nova refers to a star. But in Spanish, it means "'doesn't go." Would you buy a car with this name?

To avoid these problems of translation, most advertising firms are now beginning to write completely new ads. In writing new ads, global advertisers must consider different styles of communication in different countries. In some cultures, the meaning of an advertisement is usually found in the exact words that are used to describe the product and to explain why it is better than the competitive. This is true in such countries as the United States, Britain, and Germany. But in other cultures, such as Japan's, the message depends more on situations and feelings than it does on words. For this reason, the goal of many TV commercials in Japan will be to show how good people feel in a party or some other social situation.

The commercial will not say that a product is better than others. Instead, its goal will be to create a positive mood or feeling about the product.

Global advertisers must also consider differences in laws and customs. For instance, certain countries will not allow TV commercials on Sunday, and others will not allow TV commercials for children's products on any day of the week. In some parts of the world, it is forbidden to show dogs on television or certain types of clothing, such as jeans. The global advertiser who does not understand such laws and customs will soon have problems.

Finally, there is the question of what to advertise. People around the world have different customs as well as different likes and dislikes. So the best advertisement in the world means nothing if the product is not right for the market. Even though some markets around the world are quite similar, companies such as McDonald's have found that it is very important to sell different products in different parts of the world. So when you go to a McDonald's in Hawaii, you'll find Chinese noodles on the menu. If you stop for a hamburger in Germany, you can order a beer with your meal. In Malaysia, you can try a milk shake that is flavored with a fruit that most people in other countries have never tasted.

All of these products must be sold with the right kind of message. It has never been an easy job for global advetisers to create this message. But no matter how difficult this job may be, it is very important for global advertisers to do it well. In today's competitive world, most new products quickly fail. Knowing how to advertise in the global market can help companies win the competition for success.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 2132