The impact of culture differences on advertising Essay

The impact of culture differences on advertising - Essay Example Different cultures have different requirements, which are catered to by the advertisers at the time of creating marketing strategies. This study also analyses how religion and celebrity endorsements influence advertising. With the examination of cases involving Coca Cola, McDonald’s, and cosmetic brands, some strategic tools will be suggested that may be helpful for creating effective advertising strategies and which could allow culture to have a positive impact on advertising. The conclusion will include the limitations of this study and suggestions for future research. With globalisation, societies across the world are experiencing increasing cultural diversity. Undoubtedly, globalisation has affected every aspect of human life – cultural, social, or corporate. However, while this has brought about the generalisation of the customs and values of a global society, it has also opened the doors for great concerns. The field of advertising is one such example that has been influenced both positively and negatively. International marketers and advertisers have to carefully target their strategies towards certain ethnic communities, which can involve deep emotions and controversies at times. According to Hofstede (2010), â€Å"Culture is defined as the collective mental programming of the human mind which distinguishes one group of people from another.† Hofstede further stated that cultural differences between nations are observed at the deepest level, i.e. the level of values. Advertisers, as organisations, are classified at the level of their practices; these practices, according to Hofstede (ibid), are more tangible than values. The Cultural Dimension Theory by Hofstede is basically an outline for cross-cultural communication. It effectively shows the relationship of the culture of a particular community / society to its members (Hofstede, 1980). The behaviour of the members of a society are directly associated with