Reflections of Cultural Value: Korean Automobile Corporations' Television Advertising

Abstract

In 1964, Marshall McLuhan named the world "a global village". With developments of technology in communication and transportation, the notion of "globalization" is found everywhere in political, socio-economic, and cultural discourse. In marketing theory, the notion of "globalization" was introduced by Theodore Levitt in 1983, when he argued that "companies must learn to operate as if the world were one large market ignoring superficial regional and national differences and selling the same products in the same way throughout the world" (pp. 92-93). In marketing, the significance of geographical border is tapering off as corporations have expanded their businesses globally. As the consumers' needs and tastes around the world become similar with globalization, marketing and advertising directors of transnational corporations (TNC) seek to standardize advertising in the international market (Elinder, 1965; Johnsson & Thorelli, 1985). This international marketing approach seems to make sense because consumers around the world may have similar desires for qualities and values. However, it may be unrealistic to integrate the international market without considering the differences in culture, infrastructure, and development of economy and technology (Mooij, 1994). The differences in infrastructure such as transport system, distribution, available media, and legal conditions, as well as the differences in economy and technology are important to international marketing. However, the cultural difference is considered as the core of international advertising strategies because advertising is a reflection of culture. This study examined the reflection of cultural values in advertising through the analysis of experts' opinion and a content analysis of TV commercials in international markets.