Degrees of Globalization: An Analysis of the Standardization of Message Elements in Multinational Advertising

Abstract

Abstract To investigate whether current multinational advertising campaigns are predominantly standardized versus specialized, or whether campaigns instead employ a “degree” of standardization, print and television advertisements for American products appearing in the U.S., Germany and Japan are content analyzed. Within the messages, an attempt is made to determine which elements are most likely to be standardized. Results of this pilot study show that while the use of fully standardized campaigns is still limited in the late 1980s, portions of the message content are standardized in one out of two television campaigns and one out of five print campaigns. Overall, product name and packaging are most likely to be standardized. Less likely to be standardized are creative elements, such as product attributes chosen to be highlighted and the theme employed.