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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
VII. Special Topics and
Perspectives
20. International
Advertising and Promotion
great deal of attention has focused on the concept of global marketing, where a company
uses a common marketing plan for all countries in which it operates, thus selling
the product in essentially the same way everywhere in the world. Global advertising
falls under the umbrella of global marketing as a way to implement this strategy by
using the same basic advertising approach in all markets.
The debate over standardization versus localization of marketing and advertising
programs began years ago. 53 But the idea of global marketing was popularized by Professor
Theodore Levitt, who says the worldwide marketplace has become homogenized
and consumers’ basic needs, wants, and expectations transcend geographic,
national, and cultural boundaries. 54 One writer described Levitt’s position on global
marketing as follows:
Levitt’s vision of total worldwide standardization is global marketing at the extreme. He
argues that, thanks to cheap air travel and new telecommunications technology, consumers the
world over are thinking—and shopping—increasingly alike. According to Levitt, the New
Republic of Technology homogenizes world tastes, wants, and possibilities into global marketing
proportions, which allows for world standardized products. 55
Not everyone agrees with Levitt’s global marketing theory, particularly with
respect to advertising. Many argue that products and advertising messages must be
designed or at least adapted to meet the differing needs of consumers in different
countries. 56 We will consider the arguments for and against global marketing and
advertising, as well as situations where it is most appropriate.
Advantages of Global Marketing and Advertising
A global marketing strategy and advertising program offer certain advantages to a
company, including the following:
• Economies of scale in production and distribution.
• Lower marketing and advertising costs as a result of reductions in planning and
control.
• Lower advertising production costs.
• Abilities to exploit good ideas on a worldwide basis and introduce products
quickly into various world markets.
• A consistent international brand and/or company image.
• Simplification of coordination and control of marketing and promotional
programs.
Advocates of global marketing and advertising contend that standardized products
are possible in all countries if marketers emphasize quality, reliability, and low prices.
They say people everywhere want to buy the same products and live the same way.
Product standardization results in lower design and production costs as well as greater
marketing efficiency, which translates into lower prices for consumers. Product standardization
and global marketing also enable companies to roll out products faster into
world markets, which is becoming increasingly important as product life cycles
become shorter and competition increases.
A number of companies have been very successful using a global advertising
approach, including Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, Xerox, American Express, and British
Airways. Gillette used global advertising in the early 90s to launch its Sensor shaving
system, which became one of the most successful products in the company’s history.
The advertising theme for the global campaign was “The Best a Man Can Get.” At the
end of the decade Gillette launched the Mach3, its new triple-bladed shaving system,
and once again used a global campaign built around the high-tech theme of the product
and retaining the same tagline. Prior to the introduction of the new product,
Gillette launched the Mach3.com website, which was supported by online advertising
to educate prospective customers about the intricacies of the triple-bladed razor. The
Web campaign was followed by a $200 million global media blitz that helped make
the Mach3 the number-one-selling shaving system after less than a year on the market.
Exhibit 20-6 shows an ad for the Mach3 that was used in Spain.
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
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Chapter Twenty International Advertising and Promotion