Cross Cultural Advertising Analysis: Australia and India

This essay analyses cross-cultural advertising between Australia and India, focusing on shampoo brands Sunsilk, Dove, Pantene, and Head & Shoulders. It discusses Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory and how it applies to advertising in both countries.

qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw
ertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwert
yuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyui
opasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiop
asdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasd
fghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfgh
jklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjkl
zxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxc
vbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvb
nmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm
qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw
ertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwert
yuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyui
opasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiop
asdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasd
fghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfgh
jklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcv
Cross cultural Advertising Analysis

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 1
Cross-cultural advertisement means something more than translation. The factors, which are
considered in cross-cultural advertisement analysis, are style, numbers, language, and
symbols. The research on cross culture advertisement analysis is a relatively new field, which
focus more on trends and development of last decades in commercial and economic activities
(Okazaki and Mueller, 2014). The main issues which has been identified through
international advertising and marketing is that, customers from different countries is become
more alike or the difference will remain stable or difference level has grown more. To do
comparison in this essay the four products is been selected, two from India and two from
Australia. The category of product is been selected is shampoo and to analyse the cross-
culture advertisement hofstede’s cultural dimension theory is been discussed.
For cross-cultural advertising analysis, the product is selected form the BRIC country Indian
and the product that has been selected is two shampoo brands Sunsilk and Dove. Both
shampoo brands are high in demand among consumers. The advertisement of both shampoo
brands are shown on television. The commercial of sunsilk focus on strengthen the hairs from
roots and the commercial of Dove focus more on the smoothening and dandruff removal.
Both the advertisement that is shown on television is considered to be more creative rather
than conventional brand communication. The story line of sunsilk commercial is based on the
relationship or understanding between mother and daughter. The sunsilk has tried to show
how the strong hair can build a good relation among mother daughter. In particular
commercial few girls are making fun of the girls hair and because of that the confidence of
girls goes low, when girl reaches home mother ask here reason behind her sadness and as a
solution of problem mother handover a bottle of sunsilk shampoo to her daughter. After using
the shampoo, the hair become strong and the bond of mother and daughter become stronger.
In this particular, add the writer focus on creative part the bond of mother daughter rather
than just focusing on product. The second commercial focus on the try and purchase model,

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 2
in this advertisement the company offers 7 days challenge to girls to use dove on shampoo
and if they find any difference then start using shampoo. The commercial is about comparing
two product and chose better among them.
(Source: Sunsilk India, 2017)
(Source: Dove Bar India, 2016)
Geert Hofstede has developed a hofstede’s cultural dimension theory, theory consist of
framework for cross- cultural communication. Theory describes the effects of a society
culture on value of its habitants. To analyse the cultural specificity display in the
advertisement the two dimensions of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions is been selected (Cutler,
Javalgi and Krishna Erramilli, 2012). The two dimensions are Masculinity and uncertainly

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 3
avoidance. These two dimensions are closely related to the products which is been selected
for cross-cultural advertisement analysis.
These two dimensions will help in understanding that culture of country. Analyse of cultural
advertising on the bases of Masculinity. India is very masculine in terms of visual display of
power and success. While designing advertisement the brands or companies develop
ostentation and flash which will goes with advertising one’s success (Obeidat et.al. 2012).
However, India is a spiritual country consists of number of religions and millions of deities.
India is an ancient country with longest surviving cultures which gives ample lesson on value
of abstinence and humility. Analyse of Cultural advertisement on the bases of long term
dimension. In India, the concept of karma dominates philosophical and religious through
(Bian and Forsythe, 2012). In country like India have a great tolerance for religious view
from all over world. In India, there is an acceptance that there are many truths are often
depends on the seeker.
For cross-cultural advertising analysis, the product is selected from Australia are Pantene and
head and shoulders both are popular shampoo brand of Australia. The demand of head and
shoulder and Pantene is very good in market. The large number of Australian population is
using these two shampoos. Both companies are showing their advertisement on television.
The Pantene advertisement company has shown a strong and confident girl is telling about
her experience by using shampoo. The advertisement mainly focus on the how the shampoo
make the hairs of girl strong and shinny and with bouncy hairs the girl has boost up her
confidence of girl to face the world. The second advertisement is of head and shoulder, in
particular advertisement the girl has went to the doctors to consult the issue of hair problem
and the doctor recommended head and shoulder to the girls. When girl start using the product
its hair become more strong and beautiful. The core concept behind the both advertisement
are they show how the advertisement boost the confidence level of girls. Both brands focus

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 4
on modern generation how these two shampoos are playing important role in boosting their
confidence.
(Source: Head & Shoulders, 2017)
(Source: Pantene Australia, 2017)
To analyse the cultural specificity display in the advertisement the two dimensions of
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions is been selected. The two dimensions selected to understand
the cultural advertisement analysis are individualism and masculinity. Analyse of cultural
advertising on the bases of Masculinity. Australian society masculine driven by competition,

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 5
success and achievement, the success means best in the field or winner. The value system in
Australia began at schools and continues throughout life. Feminine dimension means the
value of women in society is caring for others and quality life. Feminine society is one where
quality of sign success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable (Christie et.al.
2013). Analyse of cultural advertising on the bases of individualism, the advertisement also
focus on individualism. The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is degree of
interdependence society maintains among its members (Minkov and Hofstede, 2012).
Australia is highly individualist culture. The society members in Australia are self-centred.
The transactions, which are take place in Australian society, is based on loosely knit the
association which take place between the person are purely based on the interest. If the
person is getting profits by maintaining relation with the other person then only they will
maintain relations. At work place also the same interest based relationships are been
managed, to get promotions, hiring etc.
The culture of both Australia and India are very different. While watching advertisement on
television the difference of both cultures can be easily noticeable. The Australia culture is full
of broad-minded people but the residents of India are rigid. The Culture of India give much
importance to maintaining relationship with their family and other people without expecting
anything in return, but the people of Australia is very self-centred they only go after profits
and they build relations if they are getting some profit out of that relation (Mazanec, 2015).
The advertisement stated that the women in Australia are very confident and self-dependant
that shows that the women in Australia are very much confident and they are not depending
on any other person for their need but this concept is not followed in India the much women
population is depend on some other person for their basic need (Gilly, 2011). In India the
condition of women are not same as condition of women in Australia. It is important for the
Brand communication practitioners to know about the culture of the country for which they

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 6
are going to make advertisement. While making advertisement it is important to understand
the cultural, with help of this they can connect with their target costumers easily.

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 7
References
Bian, Q. and Forsythe, S., (2012). Purchase intention for luxury brands: A cross cultural
comparison. Journal of Business Research, 65(10), pp.1443-1451.
Christie, P.M.J., Kwon, I.W.G., Stoeberl, P.A. and Baumhart, R., (2013). A cross-cultural
comparison of ethical attitudes of business managers: India Korea and the United
States. Journal of Business Ethics, 46(3), pp.263-287.
Cutler, B.D., Javalgi, R.G. and Krishna Erramilli, M.,(2012). The visual components of print
advertising: A five-country cross-cultural analysis. European Journal of Marketing, 26(4),
pp.7-20.
Dove Bar India, (2016), Advertisement [Online] Available form:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eD36J9qtFs [Assessed on: 12-08-2018].
Gilly, M.C., (2011). Sex roles in advertising: A comparison of television advertisements in
Australia, Mexico, and the United States. The Journal of marketing, pp.75-85.
Head and Shoulders (2017). Advertisement [Online] Available form:
https://www.headandshoulders.com.au/en-au [Assessed on: 12-08-2018].
Mazanec, J.A., Crotts, J.C., Gursoy, D. and Lu, L., (2015). Homogeneity versus
heterogeneity of cultural values: An item-response theoretical approach applying Hofstede's
cultural dimensions in a single nation. Journal of Tourism Management, 48, pp.299-304.
Minkov, M. and Hofstede, G., (2012). Hofstede’s fifth dimension: New evidence from the
World Values Survey. Journal of cross-cultural psychology, 43(1), pp.3-14.

AUSTRALIA AND INDIA 8
Obeidat, B.Y., Shannak, R.O., Masa’deh, R.E.M.D.T. and Al-Jarrah, I., (2012). Toward
better understanding for Arabian culture: Implications based on Hofstede’s cultural
model. European Journal of Social Sciences, 28(4), pp.512-522.
Okazaki, S. and Mueller, B., (2014). Cross-cultural advertising research: where we have been
and where we need to go. Journal of International Marketing Review, 24(5), pp.499-518.
Pantene Australia, (2017). Advertisement [Online] Available form:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riMJkYFcIfY [Assessed on: 12-08-2018].
Sunsilk India, (2017). Advertisement [Online] Available form:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YMk9kI3Tuw [Assessed on: 12-08-2018].