Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Course: International Marketing Professor: Dr. Amr Kheir El Din Prepared by: Iman Mahmoud Fahmy Date: June 17th, 2010
What is Culture?
Contents
Key Cultural Concepts Dimensions of Culture Cultural Differences & International Marketing Issues & Pitfalls
What Is Culture?
A system of shared values and norms
Definition of Culture
Invisible
Assumptions
Values
Beliefs
Behavior
Visible
Low Context
High Context
German
Swiss
Scandinavian
Canada/ U.S.
British
Italian
Spanish
Greek
Arab
Japanese
Chinese
Dimensions of Culture
Filters
Communication Values and Attitudes
Dimensions of Culture
Language Religion
Social Structure
Affect on Business Age Behavioral Body Caste Systems Conceptual Education Expressions Influence on Government Language Religion Social Status Speed Volume Wealth
Issues:
Marketing materials will differ from market to market, depending on education, gender and so on
Packaging and marketing materials will differ to satisfy different aesthetic tastes Education profiles will determine level and quality of professional / support services in target market
Color: colors used in packaging / marketing materials must be appropriate to target market Music: maintain cultural sensitivity when using music to deliver marketing messages
Punctuality is expected in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan, China and Belgium but you better be at least 15 minutes late in Latin America
MEXICO :when planning meetings, breakfast / lunch preferred. Take time to cultivate relationships with business contacts - relationships more important than professional experience.
PERU :relate to individuals not corporate entities. Establish personal rapport. Maintain same sales reps throughout negotiations. RUSSIA :1st meeting is formality. Russian counterparts use this time to judge credibility. Be warm & friendly. SCOTLAND relationships. :people soft-spoken & private. Takes time to build
SOUTH KOREA : :status important. Make sure business card indicates title. Dont send rep to meet Korean exec of higher status could be viewed as disrespectful. THAILAND in sales pitch. :emphasizes non-conflict. Dont make assertive demands
In 1987, Braniff Airlines installed leather seats in its coach class in order to bolster lagging sales. Allegedly, the airline used the slogan Fly in Leather in their English advertising. When the slogan was translated into Spanish, vuela en ceuro, Braniff failed to realize that en cueros is slang for being naked. In other words, the now defunct airline was encouraging patrons in Spanish speaking countries to fly naked (Wilton & Brunetti, 2004).
The case of Orange, a French telecommunications company operating in the UK, is one where the blunder is less about translation and more about culture. In 1994, the brand new telecommunications company rolled out its new marketing slogan across the UK: The futures bright the futures Orange. Unfortunately, in Northern Ireland, the term Orange is associated with the Orange Order, a Protestant organization with alleged antiCatholic sentiments. Therefore, the message in Northern Ireland implied that the future was Protestant Loyalist. Obviously, this did not sit well with the countrys Catholic population (Branding Strategy Insider,
2008).
Volkswagen Jetta Volkswagen named the sedan version of Golf the Jetta. However, the letter "J" doesn't exist in the Italian alphabet, so Jetta is pronounced "Ietta", which means Misfortune...
In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into "Schweppes Toilet Water."
In some cultures there are lucky colors, such as red in China and unlucky colors, such as black in Japan. Some colors have certain significance; green is considered a special color in Islam and some colors have tribal associations in parts of Africa. Many hotels in the USA or UK do not have a room 13 or a 13th floor. Similarly, Nippon Airways in Japan do not have the seat numbers 4 or 9. If there are numbers with negative connotations abroad, presenting or packaging products in those numbers when advertising should be avoided. Images are also culturally sensitive. Whereas it is common to see pictures of women in bikinis on advertising posters on the streets of London, such images would cause outrage in the Middle East.
Now you wouldnt want to take medicine to make you feel bad, would you?
References:
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/culturalservices/articles/crosscultural-marketing.html
http://www.deborahswallow.com/2009/08/20/crosscultural-marketing-blunders/
Branding Strategy Insider. (2008). Naming Pranks and Blunders. Retrieved January 9, 2008. Creative Translation. (n.d.). Branding blunders hall of shame. Retrieved January 9, 2008. Wilton, D. & Brunetti, I. (2004). Word myths: Debunking linguistic urban legends. New York: Oxford University Press.
Thank you