Culture and consumer response on advertising; Comparison of Finnish and Italian consumers
Kanto, Laura (2011)
Kuvaus
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Tiivistelmä
This study takes a look at consumer response on advertising. More importantly it focuses on how culture affects the way consumers respond to advertising. Culture’s effect is studied through advertising standardization and adaptation.
The theoretical part of the study presents theories on international advertising from the point of view of standardization and adaptation, and takes a look at the meaning-based models of consumer response. Based on theory, a framework is developed which presents the interaction between the consumer and the advertisement. Cultural theories from Hofstede, Schwartz and GLOBE are presented in order to identify the different dimensions of national culture. Based on the discussion a framework is again presented, and Finnish and Italian cultures are described. The theoretical frameworks of international advertising and national culture form the basis of the empirical part of the study. The study is qualitative in its nature and focus groups are used as the main source of data. The empirical part of the study looks at the consumer responses from two different cultures, Finnish and Italian. Two focus group interviews are organized, one for each culture. Television commercials are shown to the participants and the commercials are discussed in groups. Both standardized and adapted commercials are shown in order to see the differences in responses.
The findings of this study show that culture is present in consumer response to advertising. They also confirm that consumers are active when reading the advertisements and a process of interaction is created between the consumer and the advertisement. Culture in addition, determines the level of effectiveness the advertising has on a consumer. Consumers responded for both standardized and adapted advertising. However, adapted advertisements clearly reached a more profound level of interaction. The managerial implications of the study suggest that advertisements should be adapted when the advertiser aims to create a deeper relationship with the consumer. Standardized advertising can also be used but the values that the advertisements present should be carefully planned. The findings also highlight the importance of implementation in advertisement creation.
The theoretical part of the study presents theories on international advertising from the point of view of standardization and adaptation, and takes a look at the meaning-based models of consumer response. Based on theory, a framework is developed which presents the interaction between the consumer and the advertisement. Cultural theories from Hofstede, Schwartz and GLOBE are presented in order to identify the different dimensions of national culture. Based on the discussion a framework is again presented, and Finnish and Italian cultures are described. The theoretical frameworks of international advertising and national culture form the basis of the empirical part of the study. The study is qualitative in its nature and focus groups are used as the main source of data. The empirical part of the study looks at the consumer responses from two different cultures, Finnish and Italian. Two focus group interviews are organized, one for each culture. Television commercials are shown to the participants and the commercials are discussed in groups. Both standardized and adapted commercials are shown in order to see the differences in responses.
The findings of this study show that culture is present in consumer response to advertising. They also confirm that consumers are active when reading the advertisements and a process of interaction is created between the consumer and the advertisement. Culture in addition, determines the level of effectiveness the advertising has on a consumer. Consumers responded for both standardized and adapted advertising. However, adapted advertisements clearly reached a more profound level of interaction. The managerial implications of the study suggest that advertisements should be adapted when the advertiser aims to create a deeper relationship with the consumer. Standardized advertising can also be used but the values that the advertisements present should be carefully planned. The findings also highlight the importance of implementation in advertisement creation.