Advertising Content and Cultural Values: A Cross-cultural Comparison of Taiwanese and U.S. magazine advertisements

10.29986/TJA.200303.0009

徐振興

cultural values；advertising content；cultural differences

中國廣告學刊

8期（2003 / 03 / 01）

203 - 237

英文

The controversy of standardized versus specialized international advertising has fueled an increasing demand for more cross-cultural research on advertising content. To comply with this demand, this study investigated the similarities and differences of the manifestation of cultural values in Taiwanese and U.S. magazine advertisements. The research method of content analysis was utilized to analyze research data. Sample advertisements were chosen from eight magazines in each country. The advertising content of 176 Taiwanese and 199 U.S. magazine advertisements was analyzed in this study. Research results showed that some values related to product merits were frequently utilized in both countries. These values were quality, effectiveness, and convenience. However, this study found Taiwanese magazine advertisements significantly utilized more cultural values of family integrity, harmony with others, interdependence, nature, popularity, and tradition, whereas U.S. advertisements more significantly emphasized cultural values of adventure, enjoyment, independence, quality, safety, sex, technology, uniqueness, and wealth. Therefore, on the basis of these research results, this study found that Taiwanese and U.S. magazine advertisements basically tend to reflect conceptual cultural differences in advertising contents.

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