The Influence of Culture in Creative Strategy and Execution of International Advertising: A Content Analysis Approach

Since the advent of globalisation, advertisers are faced with a dilemma regarding whether to standardise or localise their advertising strategy. Both strategies present advantages and disadvantages, and the decision is strongly influenced by culture. This paper examines the impact of culture on international advertising from an ad content perspective by interpreting advertising messages and transcribing the embedded values on advertisements. Quantitative content analysis is used to infer a pattern of advertising practices for MNCs. Specifically the ads aired in the UK are compared to those in Malaysia in terms of creative strategy and execution and with locally produced ads in automotive, fast moving consumer goods and banks. Subsequently, the difference of the cultural values embedded in Malaysian ads against UK ads was evaluated. Findings indicate either a partial adaptation or full localisation strategy is necessary for advertising in the Malaysian market. When compared with a local competitor, the results showed a mixed outcome. For some MNCs, creative strategies applied were similar while some were different to those of local companies. Interestingly, the executional elements applied were different from locally produced ads for all MNCs. Findings suggest that more cultural cues were visible in MNC ads in Malaysia as compared to MNC ads which support the idea that culture does have an impact towards international advertising.