Suggested Answers to Discussion Questions
1. In what ways can global brands and global advertising campaigns benefit a
company?
The potential benefits from global brands include economies of scale in both
advertising and production and improved access to distribution channels. As
2. How does the standardized-versus-localized debate apply to advertising?
Identify and discuss the problems with assessing advertising effectiveness in
foreign markets.
In general, advertising can be used to inform or persuade. If a global market exists for
a product, or if a global product is developed from the ground up, opportunities to
standardize some, if not all elements, should be explored. “Pattern” advertising
represents a middle point on the standardized/localized continuum. In pattern
advertising, a standardized basic message is used with modifications tailored to
3. When creating advertising for world markets, what issues must art directors and
copywriters take into account?
Art direction concerns an ad’s visual presentation. Long-running campaigns can link
various visual executions to a given theme; print ads for Absolut vodka and Benetton
are two examples. Visual must be appropriate for every market; the Benetton case
shows that care should be used when creating ads with shocking or controversial
4. How do the media options available to advertisers vary in different parts of the
world? What can advertisers do to cope with media limitations in certain
countries?
Media availability varies widely in world markets. Even when a particular media
vehicle is available, government regulations can limit, or even prohibit, some or all
types of advertising. This is especially true where government owns the broadcasting
5. It was once said that advertising is American’s greatest export. Discuss.
The United States has done a remarkable job of exporting the American brands.
Companies realize that some market segments can be defined on the basis of global
demography – youth culture, for example – rather than ethnic or national culture.
6. Describe the relationship between integrated marketing communications and the
other elements of the marketing mix.
Integrated marketing communications (IMC) refers to all forms of communication
used by organizations to inform, remind, explain, persuade, and influence the
7. Can it be argued that social networking and social media are hybrid elements of
the promotion mix because they exhibit characteristics of more traditional
integrated marketing communications such as word-of-mouth? What degree of
control and influence can the marketing manager have over the frequency or
content of information being shared? Discuss.