Marketing Across Cultures. Coca Cola

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Marketing Across Cultures – Coca Cola

Mini-Play

International Business

Monika Kazonaite

Laisvunas Petrulis

Mangirdas Ragulskis

Benas Ramanauskas

Viktorija Timosok

Goda Zvikaite

International Business and Communication

Lect. Gregor Pfajfar

16.11.2016

With globalization there are a bigger chance for multinational companies to win a larger market share. Communication style plays a big role in cultural advertising. In order for multinational companies to succeed they have to adapt right communication strategies to attract customers from different regions and different cultures. It is well known that different cultures share different values and to find the way to connect with the foreign consumer, companies have to learn what values and cultural dimensions are most treasured and evaluated locally.

To connect with the customers from various countries company has to study smallest details either. Symbols, colors, numbers, words may have a deep meaning in some of the cultures. For example, ‘’Red is the most powerful of all colors in Indian culture and holds many important meanings. Among them are fear and fire, wealth and power, purity, fertility, seduction, love, and beauty. Red is also representative of a certain time and place in one’s personal life, including when a woman gets married.   In South Africa, red is associated with mourning, and the section of red in the country’s flag symbolizes violence. In Chinese culture, red is traditionally worn on the New Year, as well as during funerals and weddings. It represents celebration and is meant to bring luck, prosperity, happiness, and a long life to the people’’, (n/a, 2016).

Coca cola is using the same happiness/friendliness vibe advertisements all around the world but this brand modifies its commercials for the certain region and culture depending on where this drink will be advertised. Coca Cola is connecting with its customers by different emotions and feelings. For example, by having a look at G. Hofstede cultural dimensions it is clearly visible that USA is individualistic, independent country. There are also some stereotypes in USA advertising that can be important. Friendliness and informality can be comprehensible as being very directly or even rough. People are very friendly, they do not have a fear to start a conversation, can talk with strangers just in the street or in a queue. As was mentioned before, individualism is appreciated, and this is imaged in the family unit. Society is proud of it-self being individualistic and may not share the sources of pride with their older family members.

China is a collectivistic, united and patriotic country. By knowing these values and so much more of the certain culture, Coca Cola can adapt its marketing based on that information. There are some rules that have to be known for marketers:  ‘’number four is regarded as unlucky, similar to the death.; seven similarly has negative connotations; eight is regarded as very lucky, similar to the words for prosperity and wealth; red and yellow and gold are regarded as lucky; avoid white because it is associated with death and mourning; the use of propitious animals is admired: the dragon, phoenix, unicorn, tortoise, crane and fish are all popular; images of China's Great Wall are symbolic of stability and reliability; avoid name plaques for opening ceremonies; refrain from using black borders around names or photos of people. This is also associated with death’’, (n/a, 2015).