Inhalt

Cultural differences between the eastern and western world in marketing and
advertising______________________________________________________________________2
Personal experience_____________________________________________________________________ 2
Korea and America as cultural epicenters____________________________________________________ 2
Collectivism versus Individualism________________________________________________ 3
Collectivism in Korea_____________________________________________________________________3
Individualism in America__________________________________________________________________4
The Role of Advertising__________________________________________________________4
English in Korean Advertisements________________________________________________5
Low-Context culture_____________________________________________________________8
Association____________________________________________________________________________ 8
Interaction_____________________________________________________________________________ 8
Learning_______________________________________________________________________________ 8
High-Context Culture____________________________________________________________ 9
Association____________________________________________________________________________ 9
Interaction____________________________________________________________________________ 10
Learning______________________________________________________________________________ 10
History of Koreas high context culture___________________________________________11
Confucianism__________________________________________________________________________ 11
Comparative Advertising________________________________________________________12
High-context versus low-context commercial_____________________________________12
Sleepwalker_________________________________________________________________________ 12
Red Carpet Road for China_____________________________________________________________ 14

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Cultural differences between the eastern and western world in

marketing and advertising

Personal experience

Entering Koreatown in the midst of Los Angeles was an experience that I will never forget in my life.

After strolling through the streets of L.A, visiting Hollywood and staying in the calm Suburbs of

Orange County it was quite a shock to suddenly see this isolated miniature town right in front of

me. My mother, being fully Korean but raised in the US, has taken us very often to her country of

choice: USA. But until I was 14 I never had any Korean experience besides my close family. And here

I was standing surrounded by hundreds of people looking just like me and speaking nothing but

Korean in the center of Los Angeles. Flashing lights, bright colors and loud noises made it very hard

to keep an oversight over this madhouse, as it was obviously a complete opposite of what I was

used to see. As this was my first experience with Korean culture I now have a much deeper insight.

My girlfriend is Korean and this gave me the opportunity to visit Korea many times.

Korea and America as cultural epicenters

From my first day in Korea I immediately noticed major differences between the eastern and

western culture. Since I have a lot of personal experience with both cultures I would like to share

my insight on this topic with you and especially emphasize how different cultures have a huge

influence on marketing and advertisement.

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Now first of all, why am I focusing on Korea and the United States? Well my personal background is

an obvious reason but there is much more to it. Korea and America are both their respective

epicenters of eastern and western culture. Both function as catalysts in spreading new trends and

are the frontrunners in setting cultural standards in their respective regions. And at the same time

they are so different in their own way. Their extreme differences are the result of a very interesting

fact.

Collectivism versus Individualism

All in all, there are a few main characteristics for what individualistic behavior is:

- Me, Myself and I are more important than We, Us

- Own opinios are much more important than group thinking

- The importance of direct communication (asked question should be answered directly)

On the other side we have the characteristics of collectivistic behavior:

- In-Group vs Out-Group mentality (being part of one group means you are not part of

another group

- Group opinions are more important than own opinions

- Indirect communication more common than direct; results in issues with people from an

individualistic background

- Relationships to each other are more important than other tasks

Collectivism in Korea

Korea is one of the most collectivistic countries on the world while also having one of the lowest

individualism ranks. This reflects in their language as you rarely hear someone say mine, when

talking about something that is of collective belonging. Examples for this are our city, our
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home, our pet. The term interdependence is used quite often when describing the social

behavior of Koreans. From their childhood on they learn to form social webs that define their

identity. This happens in a bigger scale (the whole country) and in much smaller scales (groups of

friends). Rarely will an individual Korean abandon his or her interdependency to pursue individual

goals as the immersion into a social circle is so deeply rooted in their culture.

Individualism in America

On the other side the United States have one of the most individualistic and simultaneously the

least collectivistic population in the world. The country is built on the ideas on Individualism.

Entrepreneurs who came to the country in hope for a brighter future, the whole philosophy of self-

reliance and self-realization were what made this country so great and powerful. The American

Dream has encouraged individualistic behavior ever since and this impact from foundation on is still

very visible. But still every citizen strongly recognizes himself as an American. The difference to

other collectivistic countries is that they are more likely to pursue their own dreams rather than

following others.

The Role of Advertising

Advertising plays a very important role in our everyday life. It arbitrates the images around us and

our way of life. Furthermore, it has a huge impact on our thinking as well as on the attitude towards

ourselves and the world around us.

Advertising is, generally speaking a quick view into the purpose of a certain business. Potential

customers are given a rough idea of who the company represents, what it is they do and how they

help the customers. A good advertisement will convince the listener with a short and concise

message by most often using catchphrases in combination with colors, music or clever designs. The

goal of advertisements is usually not to offer detailed information about the business itself to the

customer. There are ad campaigns specially designed to help a business gain better publicity. That
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doesnt mean that the business and all its secrets are revealed to the public to gain a perception of

honesty from the viewers. Businesses only show themselves in advertisements the way they want

to be seen.

While the origin of advertising goes way back to ancient times, modern advertising already started

to evolve during the first world war. The American Psychologist Robert W. White stated that some

people view advertising as a tool to form and in some cases change the audiences knowledge and

desire for a product. He also argued that the function of advertising is to help to organize and

modify the basic perceptual process of the consumer, so that he is guided toward seeing and

feeling a product in a given predictable way. There are four parts that define advertising. Firstly,

money has a direct connection to the publicity of an ad. This simply means that the more business

showing the advertisement pays, the more attention an ad will get. Secondly, in most cases the

advertising gives the advertiser more publicity but often hides the identity of the creator. Thirdly,

advertisements reach a much larger audience than direct face to face selling. Lastly, advertisements

are nothing but a part of a much bigger sales effort that is known as promotion. When combining

these four parts, advertising is defined as the following: A tool of marketing for communicating

ideas and information about goods or services to a group; it employs paid space or time in the

media or uses another communication.

English in Korean Advertisements

The use of a foreign language to promote a product is not uncommon in certain industries,

especially the language of Americanized English in locations wherein English is not the native or

primary tongue. By some accounts, English has become the second language of the world for the

purposes of business and travel. Of course we ask ourselves why English is used to frequently to

promote foreign products. Obviously there has to be some sort of functionality. English could be

used to simply transfer information and provide clarity. Also the positioning based on the meaning

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of the words could be used to imply an artistic element just like the look/style of the words, or

some phonetic aspect of the words. But there are no hints to why English is so popular in a non-

English speaking country like South Korea. One reason that Koreans connect to English associations

could be to avoid the negative association Korean products have with lower quality. For Example,

the Korean fashion company Beanpole uses an English name, English slogans, and Caucasian

models for their marketing campaigns. In fact, Korean customers have a long tradition of regarding

'foreign products' as 'qualitatively better'. Historically, the sign 'Made in USA' has served as an all-

encompassing symbol for superior and all around good quality. This perception still lingers on and is

more topical now than it was before which is no surprise in our current times, and elicits

unreasonable credibility issues with domestic products among Koreans. Furthermore, South Korea

has a general high regard for Western products which is one of the reasons Korean manufacturers

and designers very often present themselves as Western.

Not just on magazine covers but primarily on storefronts in Korean streets you will see mostly

English logos/print media.

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Obviously countries as different as America and Korea respond to different kind of advertisements

which is directly related to individualism and collectivism.

Now how do these characteristics affect targeted advertisement? What we will be looking at when

comparing these two countries is advertisement context. Probably the most useful frameworks for

further understanding these cultural differences was Halls high and low context model, which has

been widely used and perceived by many scholars engaging in cross-cultural research. When

comparing these two concepts I will sort them after different criteria. Association, Interaction and

Learning.

Low-Context culture

Association

In low-context societies such as the USA, Germany relationships are more loose and temporary. So

to say they end and begin more often and frequently. Unlike in collectivistic cultures groups are not

as clearly defined. Boundaries are very loose to non-existing and that way several people can be in

and out of groups at the same time. Individuals are defined by their own accomplishments. You get

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to create yourself just the way you want to. In general, the whole social structure is far more

decentralized. Responsibilities are not concentrated at the top as in a hierarchy. They lay much

further down, shared with more people, spreading power.

Interaction

Communication is a solely way of exchanging ideas, information and opinions. When interacting on

a verbal basis messages are explicit and direct. Messages are carried much more by words than

nonverbal means. The context is not as important as the words spelled out. It consists of concise

and distinct information that no surrounding circumstances have an impact on. Conflicts and

disagreements are very depersonalized. The focus is on finding quick and rational solutions and to

withdraw from personal motivations.

Learning

In order to develop knowledge usually one source of information is used by following concise

directions and guidance of others. But at the same time an individual approach to solving problems

is encouraged. Thinking is done in an inductive way. That means specific thoughts lead to more

general thinking. It is necessary to focus on details first before thinking outside of the box. Above all

efficiency dictates everything. The faster and more effective you learn something the more valuable

you will be for society. After all time equals money.

Low-Context cultures are very rule oriented which leads to people following external guidance.

Whats most important is that knowledge in general is public, external and accessible to the public.

Interpersonal connections and communication are of much shorter duration. Decisions, activities

and responsibilities focus around whats necessary to be done. Tasks dictate the society. Low-

context cultures such as the US and most of western Europe are thinking in a very logical, linear,

individualistic way and are mostly action-oriented. Individuals from low-context cultures value

logical thinking, factual data, and truthfulness. In order to solve a problem, it is necessary to line up
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all known facts and then assess one after another. Decisions are made based on facts rather than

listening to intuition. Discussions end with actions. People who communicate are expected to be

straightforward, concise, and efficient in telling what action is expected. To be absolutely clear,

they strive to use precise words and intend them to be taken literally. Explicit contracts conclude

negotiations. This is very different from communicators in high-context cultures who depend less

on language precision and legal documents. High-context business people may even distrust

contracts and be offended by the lack of trust they suggest.

High-Context Culture

Association

Relationships created depend highly on trust and build up much slower. That makes them very

stable and reliable. Group dynamics dictate how effective and quick things can get done. Efficiency

depend on the relationships with others and paying attention to group process. Unlike in low-

context cultures ones identity is not rooted in oneself but in groups such as families, cultural

groups or work. Authorities are on the top. That means the social structure is very centralized and

the person at the top decides for the better of the group.

Interaction

The biggest difference between high- and low-context cultures lay in the way people interact. The

use of nonverbal elements is highly used. Communicating on a nonverbal basis and relying more on

tone of voice, facial expressions and gestures are very important parts of conversation. Verbal

messages itself are indirect and implicit. As just said the nonverbal elements carry the conversation

much more than words. That means people talk around the actual point, sort of embellishing it

rather than directly engaging it. When conflict comes up it is perceived as a sensitive matter.

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Disagreements are much more personalized and need to be solved before work can take its normal

course or avoided all together.

Learning

The process of learning and acquiring information is done by using a variety of sources. Thinking

proceeds from very general to specific, so to speak in a deductive way. Learning occurs by

observing other people who function as a model and demonstrate how it is supposed to be done

and encouraging imitating and practicing as being told. When trying to learn and solve problems

people search out for groups instead of struggling on their own. Working in groups is preferred over

individual accomplishments.

In Eastern countries like Korea high-context cultures are much more common than in western

nations like the US. High-context cultures are in general very relational, intuitive, and

contemplative. Individuals in these cultures emphasize interpersonal over impersonal

relationships. Broadly speaking developing a strong feeling of trust is the most important step to a

successful business transaction of any kind. According to Edward T. Hall, a renown American

anthropologist and cross cultural researcher, high-context cultures prefer group harmony and work

in consensus to achieve individual accomplishments. And people in these cultures listen more to

intuition and feelings rather than being guided by reason. A Japanese manager once explained his

cultures communication style to an American this way: We are a homogeneous people and dont

have to speak as much as you do here. When we say one word, we understand ten, but here you

have to say ten to understand one. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and

more formal. Flowery language, humility, and elaborate apologies are very common.

History of Koreas high context culture

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Confucianism

A major cause for Koreas high context communication is deeply rooted in tradition and history.

Confucian values & ideology have influenced Korean culture for hundreds of years and allows their

participants to save face if possible. It has been found by Stella Ting Toomey in 1991 that Koreans

have a much higher focus on others faces when communicating than for example Americans. On

the other side Americans have a much higher degree of self-face recognition. High-context cultures

find it very important to save each others face by exchanging direct with indirect communication. It

is considered politer to not be eager for attention and stick out of the popularity which is

considered to be a form of face threat in Confucian Korean cultures. If people dont take a stand

then they do not have to stick out. Given the fact that direct communication is shunned in Korean

culture, the fear of general communication is much more likely among Koreans who have Confucian

values guiding their communication. Actually is had been found that Korean students are

significantly more capable to having communication on a high-context level than American

students. In addition, Hong (2003) found that Korean students in intercultural conflict situations

were considerably more communicatively apprehensive than U.S. American students.

Comparative Advertising

Comparative advertising is a great example of individualistic, low-context communication, when

trying to compare two different countries. It is often found to be very pushy and aggressive in form

of negative evaluation or informative in form of positive evaluation, depending on the cultural

background of the audience. Comparative Advertising is a very common form in the US. However,

Korea's culture is rather conflicting with the direct and confrontational tactics of comparative

advertising. Generally speaking, Korea's culture demands harmony and mostly avoids

confrontation. Therefore, comparative advertising in Korea is perceived as ethically wrong and less

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trustworthy than no comparative advertising. On the contrary, highly individualistic and low-

context American consumers should feel fairly comfortable with comparative advertising.

Now to further evaluate on these topics lets look how low- and high- context communication is

used in advertisements.

High-context versus low-context commercial

As a direct comparison between high and low context communication in commercials I will use the

Coca Cola campaign for the Super Bowl in 2010 and a similar big event, the Beijing Olympic Games

in 2008

Sleepwalker

Coca-Cola filmed a 1-minute ad for the 2010 Super-Bowl called Sleepwalker. It features, just as

the title indicates a sleepwalker who wakes up with a strong subconscious desire for Coca Cola. He

basically wakes up and just goes on a safari through Africa, while sleepwalking, and encounters the

most dangerous animals such as an elephant, gets growled at by a panther and almost gets eaten

by a hippopotamus. All while being unconscious of what he is doing he reaches his final destination,

after strolling through the dark veldts of Africa and opens the door of an outside refrigerator to get

the coke he dreamed about. This advertisement is a great example of how low context countries

respond to individualism. It shows a man who goes on a quest of self-realization to fulfill his

dreams. Also the western spirit that embodies the individualistic culture is greatly carried out in this

commercial.

Down below I have some screenshots of the commercial to further visualize the above.

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Red Carpet Road for China

2 years before that Coca Cola produced a couple of advertisements for the Olympic Games in 2008

in Beijing. We will be looking at a very specific commercial out of the series which was called Red

Carpet Road for China. The inspiration for this production was clearly the dominant trademark red

color of Coca Cola. The commercial shows the population of China working together to push

forward a giant rolled-up red carpet. We are watching the red carpet being rolled out to welcome

all the athletes and visitors from the entire world and making them all feel special. The Commercial

shows us all the different landscapes of China, from the big metropoles of Beijing to the deserts of

Taklimakan up to the Mount Everest and a lot of famous attractions in and around China. The main
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point of this commercial is to show us how thousands of Chinese work as a collective unit towards

one goal. It is a symbol of Union and teamwork and shows us that anything, even the most

impossible task, is possible if you work together. The ad emphasizes basically all the characteristics

of collectivism such as interdependent relationships, working in harmony and groups and general

cooperation.

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