A Comparative Case Study of Global Marketing and Ethnocentrism ...

in English, work in English, negotiate or like to be marketed to in English (Zhivago
98).
Wind and Mahajan in their book, Digital Marketing, provide insights into what
global marketers must face now that the Internet is the global marketing tool. They
discuss branding and he believes that branding has become significantly more
important with the advent of digital technology (11). Brands become a vehicle of trust
for Internet purchase decision-makers, therefore establishing a positive brand on the
Internet is critical. Where so many choices are available, marketers need good brand
positioning to compete for the buyer’s attention. Digital technology transcends
national borders, raising the need for more attention to global brand development
(Wind and Mahajan 12). However, as documented with pre-internet international
marketing, companies cannot simply transfer their U.S. brand strategies and business
models to oversees markets. Brands still must be shaped and tailored to succeed in
different parts of the world.
As discussed eariler, the hypothesis of this thesis poses a set of questions. One
of these underlying questions addresses the characteristics of the Internet that offer the
potential for eliminating ethnocentrism in marketing communication. Wind and
Mahajan contend that the Internet is more addressable and responsive than broadcast
media. Interactivity within the architecture of the Internet releases customers as passive
recipients of ads. It affords them an active role in marketing. Consumers study the
products while being entertained and persusaded by the ads (Wind and Mahajan 16-
25