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

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in English, work in English, negotiate or like to be marketed to in English (Zhivago<br />

98).<br />

Wind <strong>and</strong> Mahajan in their book, Digital <strong>Marketing</strong>, provide insights into what<br />

global marketers must face now that the Internet is the global marketing tool. They<br />

discuss br<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> he believes that br<strong>and</strong>ing has become significantly more<br />

important with the advent <strong>of</strong> digital technology (11). Br<strong>and</strong>s become a vehicle <strong>of</strong> trust<br />

for Internet purchase decision-makers, therefore establishing a positive br<strong>and</strong> on the<br />

Internet is critical. Where so many choices are available, marketers need good br<strong>and</strong><br />

positioning to compete for the buyer’s attention. Digital technology transcends<br />

national borders, raising the need for more attention to global br<strong>and</strong> development<br />

(Wind <strong>and</strong> Mahajan 12). However, as documented with pre-internet international<br />

marketing, companies cannot simply transfer their U.S. br<strong>and</strong> strategies <strong>and</strong> business<br />

models to oversees markets. Br<strong>and</strong>s still must be shaped <strong>and</strong> tailored to succeed in<br />

different parts <strong>of</strong> the world.<br />

As discussed eariler, the hypothesis <strong>of</strong> this thesis poses a set <strong>of</strong> questions. One<br />

<strong>of</strong> these underlying questions addresses the characteristics <strong>of</strong> the Internet that <strong>of</strong>fer the<br />

potential for eliminating ethnocentrism in marketing communication. Wind <strong>and</strong><br />

Mahajan contend that the Internet is more addressable <strong>and</strong> responsive than broadcast<br />

media. Interactivity within the architecture <strong>of</strong> the Internet releases customers as passive<br />

recipients <strong>of</strong> ads. It affords them an active role in marketing. Consumers study the<br />

products while being entertained <strong>and</strong> persusaded by the ads (Wind <strong>and</strong> Mahajan 16-<br />

25

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