Employing standardized promotion strategies in Mexico: The impact of language and cultural differences

Abstract

Abstract To what extent can standardized advertising programs be effectively employed in two key NAFTA markets? Mexico and the United States were the sites for an experiment using print advertisements exhibiting varying degrees of advertising standardization to study the impact of language and cultural differences. The Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) was used to examine the cultural values of the respondents (n = 354). Cultural value dimensions important in the two countries were uncovered utilizing factor analysis. Using t‐tests, results show that consumers in the two countries differ significantly on all five cultural dimensions uncovered. Further, significant differences in attitude toward the advertisement were found for each of four products based on the degree of standardization employed. Total customization was significantly preferred over all other combinations of languages and pictures. For those US firms considering marketing activities in Mexico, conclusions, implications, and strategies are suggested. 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.