1、I. INTRODUCTIONAdvertising is part of the increased globalization of mass media rapidly evolving into a truly global media village. Nowadays, thousands of firms are spending millions of dollars to influence people all around the world. The growth and expansion of firms operating internationally have

2、 led to the rise of the growth in international advertising. However, how to define a successful advertisement? It is generally agreed that an advertisement, if aiming to be successful, should be informative, impressive, and persuasive. Then, how to completely achieve these effects? The answer is: t

3、o know consumers ' wants. And how to know cons wants? The answer is that the advertisements should aim to the cultures of target consumers.In most circumstances, we are relatively unaware of the tremendous impact our culture has on us. We automatically drive on the right-hand side of the road, t

4、ry to arrive on time for appointments, and shake hands when we first meet someone. Without thought we react to our environment in a manner that is socially acceptable because that is how we have been socialized. Edward T. Hall points out, “No matter how hard man tries, it is impossible for h to dive

5、st himself of his own culture, for it has penetrated to the roots of his nervous system and determ ines how he perceives the world people cannot act or in teract in any meanin gful wayexpect through the medium of culture (Hall,19”66: 177). When we move into another culture, we carry our culture with

6、 us, responding to the foreign environment in ways that would be acceptable in our own culture but that may or may not be acceptable in different surroundings.If one wants to understand and communicate with a culture, investigation of the values of people in that culture provides a promising startin

7、g point. Personal values are values that individuals believe that they hold as motivating factors in their life. Individuals often conceptualize these values as basic principles in their life and may ineded use the term “value ” to describe these basic motivators. Although cultural value orientation

8、s are not necessarily salient to an individual as a guiding belief, these orientations do have influences on individual behavior and these influences may be strong and pervasive. A value is a belief that is held very centrally and shapes a person 's attitudes and behaviors. In fact, a value is a

9、 standard to guide actions, attitudes, comparisons, evaluations, and justifications to self and others. Values play a key role when advertising. In this case, cultural values are of primary importance in international advertising, so knowledge and understandingof cultural values are essential to suc

10、cessful advertising. Failure to understand the cultural environment can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunications, and marketing failures. And trying one' sbest to understand the cultural values better can lead him to be a successful businessman. Although there have been a great deal of inter

11、ests in recent years in the relationship of consumer values to consumption, most of situations have dealt with personal values consumer characteristics.With what stated above, we can easily summarize that cultural value influences advertising, and meanwhile, advertisements reflects the values of peo

12、ple in that culture. Many researchershave said that advertising shapesthe way people live. Since we have contiguity with many products that were made in America, and American advertisements are widely known throughout the world, this thesis, therefore, would show how American advertisements reflect

13、the American people' s characteristics or values.Chapter two will simply introduce the characters or values of the people in the United States, namely, pioneering spirit, materialism, individualism, asking questions, informality, less social distinction, honesty, frankness, and directness. And c

14、hapter three, with concrete examples of American advertisements from a variety of sources, discusses in details the reflection of the values of American people in the advertisements. Chapter four concludes the paper.II. AMERICAN CHARACTERS AND VALUESA GENERAL REVIEWHistorically, because American peo

15、ple have come from so many nationalities, people of different races and of different sections in the United States have their own customs and attitudes. For example, the New Englander is described as stern and self-reliant, the Southerner as gracious and leisurely, and the Westerner as casual and fr

16、iendly, most regional distinctions, however, have been gradually erased by modern transportation, communication, and mass production. The following part will summarize some of the main characters and values of the American people:The pioneering spirit of the immigrant is an important part of the Ame

17、rican character.Most immigrants came to America voluntarily, and eagerly, in search of greater fortune and freedom. So the desire to become rich and undisciplined is especially noticeable throughout the nation. They are acquisitive and prepared to take the initiative, even when there is a risk in do

18、ing so. Americans like to believe that a difficult problem can be solved immediately; they take pride in meeting challenges and overcoming difficult obstacles. This can-do spirit has traditionally given Americans a sense of optimism about themselves and their country.“ Success ” in American society

19、is often marked by the amount of money or the quantity of material goods a person is able to accumulate. A person accumulates money and goods by means of such valued qualities as hard work, cleverness, and persistence.As we know, the most notable American characteristic is individualism. Each person

20、, Americans believe, has a worth simply becausehe is an individual. His ideas are important above all else. Americans generally believe that the ideal person is an autonomous, self-reliant individual. Most Americans see themselves as separate individuals, not as representatives of a family, communit

21、y, or other group. They dislike being dependent on other people, or having others dependent on them.Americans are trained from childhood to question, analyze, and search.“ Go loyourself , a”child will be told.(Xu, 1993: 141) School tasks are designed to stimulate the use of a wide range of materials

22、. Even in the primary grades, children are taught to use libraries, and to search for new ideas. And frequently one can find in America that junior staff members dare to challenge older executives or argue points with them. This is not to be considered an insult or loss of face to the older; nor si

23、it an indication of“ no confidence ”.American is clearly characterized by much more informality and less social distinction than many other countries. Often people see American men working at office desks in shirt-sleeves, sometimes without their ties. They may lean far back in their chairs and even

24、 puttheir feet on the radiator or desk while they talk on the telephone. This is not meant to be rude in America. And don' t be surprised if Americans do not shake hands. They often just nod or formal handshake, but it means the same thing. Americans do not stick to one pattern.smile instead. A

25、casualHi ” orHoywouadreoing? ” orHello ” often takes the place of aAmericans have little feeling for“ rank ” , especially social rank. Most of them do not being treated with special difference for age or position; it makes them uncomfortable. Social conventions show that social distinctions are beco

26、ming fewer and fewer in America.In the United States truth has a higher priority than politeness. Americans are taught from babyhood that “ honestyis the best policy ”W. ith them trust and truth are of paramount importance. If they say of a man “ youcannot trust him” ,this is one of the most damning

27、 statements that can be made about him.The frankness of admitting certain weaknesses is another characteristic of the American people. However, it' s better not to agree with him too quickly. For Americans, they think that itwould be quite all right if they admit their weaknesses, but they consi

28、der it an insult for them to be pointed out by someone else.Americans may be direct to a point that would seem offensive in many other countries. In the U.S., however, people feel that by asking direct questions and making direct statements, they are demonstrating honesty.III. REFLECTION OF AMERICAN

29、 CULTURAL VALUESIN ADVERTISEMENTSIt is critical to be aware of the effects that values have on consumers in order to be successful within a given target market. Understanding values is extremely significant in the field of consumer behavior, and advertising will be based on understanding the values

30、of target consumers. “ U.S.advertisers now run up an estimated annual advertising bill of more than $212 billion; worldwide advertising spending exceeds$414 billion. ” (Co1e9n9,9: 126) The following parts will give some typical advertising samples to show how they can reflect the culture value of Am

31、ericans.3.1 Freedom and Independence3.1.1 MarlboroTwo Ion esome, han dsome cowboys ride the range at the foot of the sno wcapped Rocky Mountains, an iconic picture of the eternally young and eternally immortal Marlboro Man. Through the political, econo mic, and religious philosophies there has grow

32、n the no tio n that the in dividual is importa nt, that he should not be restricted, that in other words, he should have freedom. Without this freedom, the new land would not have bee n so attractive to the large numbers of them who came to live in it. Historically, America has allowed the freedom t

33、o differ, something vital in attracting members of different nationality groups. Without this value the country might still be sparsely settled. Freedom and in depe ndence as the abse nee of con diti ons which could restrict in dividual activity. They felt, for example, that there should be no exces

34、sive bail, fines, or punishments; that homes should not be searched without warrants; and that the government should not restrict freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, or of assembly. “ On eAmerica n is a free in dividual.” (Me nck999： 2). That ' teue. America nsfollow their own inclinat

35、ions and do everything at their pleasure. They also consider that lives are their own, no one can en gage themselves to do what they do not want to d Just like the Marlboro Man!The Sierra Club advertiseme nt displays a man who looks very peaceful and inv igorated by exploring a national park. This a

36、d is focusing on two values that are important to most America ns: freedom; mastery and con trol. The advertiseme nt makes the world look like a beautiful place. It sends a messagestating that consumers should respect their freedom by enjoying the world around them. They are trying to get consumers

37、to join the Sierra Club by recog nizing the importa nee of freedom. The ad also focuses on mastery and con trol through the en vir onment. The ad not only in corporates beautiful sce nery to stress the importa nee offreedom, but the uses the environment to display the value of mastery and control.Ma

38、ki-s A Montjmuntal UinEREhiCE.3.1.2 Sierra Club3.2 Competition and ActivityAlmost all the advertiseme nts of spSr2s1equustienttfocus on the value competitio n. Nike uses the famous slogan “Just do it ” , to encourage peolbdehesttate to do, and not to fear of competiti on.Michael Jordan ' sSam du

39、nk gave us deep impressions. He flew high with his Nike“Jumpman shoes to a cloudpped basket ring to show that he was the winner of basketball.This advertiseme nt challe nged all the America ns, and this exaggerated actio n made millio ns of young men to be stuck on Nike.This Nike advertiseme nt 3.2.

40、2 feauresOybung attractive girl in good physical shape. In today ' s society appearanee, competition, beauty, and physical-weilng are recognized highly by most con sumers. The goal of Nike is to connect their product to the value of activity and youthf uln ess. Activity is defi ned to most Ameri

41、ca ns as keep ing busy through physical or mental activity. Mea nwhile, the advertiseme nt dem on strates youthf uln ess. America ns focus on youth; they value being young men tally as well as physically. The ad does this by sending a message to the con sumer that it is possible to rema in youthful

42、and competitive through physical activity and, of course, Nike products. “ One America n is a free in dividual; two are a competiti on; three are a con test. ” (Me ncke n, 1999: 2)The America n life is based on competiti on, and America ns are in here ntly competitive from an early age. The competit

43、ivenessmay initially appear overbearing or rude at times to you, but it is an in disputable part of America n culture.3.3 Achievement and SuccessThis is an Avery advertiseme nt. It focuses on the value of achieveme nt and success, which in dividuals have recog ni zed as highly importa nt both histor

44、ically and prese ntly. America ns strive for success, and historically, America ns admire a winner. Although this value hasdifferent meanings to different individuals it is often used in studying consumer behavior. This advertiseme nt features a middle age bus in essma n. However, to many America ns

45、 these characteristics represe nt a successful in dividual.3.4 AdventurismYbifw Nitk Ilii un twihf bucirw-cc frlf-3.3.1 Avery3.4.1 Diet CokeThis Coca-Cola Diet Coke advertiseme nt shows us a man in a sli ng. It says,“ Un likeyour co-workers, you like it when your butt' s in a sling.” And beside

46、the Diet Coke fesays, “ Got a taste for adventure? This is the year to discover what you' re makea peak, ski Devil ' s Dare or brksru out. Do it just for the thrill of it all Diet Coke. You are what you drink. ” Literally, this catchline tells us that if you are exploring, bring the Diet Cok

47、e with you. It can relax your n erves and can in still courage or en ergy into your lives. Most America ns seem to have some relatio nship with n ature. I n their blood, they like adve nturi ng;they love to be a conqueror. They take almost every chanee to adventure with sports and adve nture with wo

48、rk.3.5 Open-minded3.5.1 Levi'sThe 1995 campaign gave Levi ' s “ 501 Blues ” reasons that young people should wear th orig inal butt on-fly jea ns.Among the best reas ons for owning 501s, there is Reas on No. 002,“ Thatdangerousplace to put a zipper. ” and Reas on No. 031,“ They' re eve n

49、 better the secTVd day.spot a young man tooling around the Eastern European city of Prague emerged from the car weari ng only a nylon jacket and boxer shorts. Why no Levi ' s? Reas on No. 007,“In Prague,you can trade them for a car.” In teresti ngly there was noneuimbso n; the nu mbers andreas o

50、ns were arbitrarily chose n by the advertis ing age ncy.Fido Dido , the brand icon for Peps3Foods7Up7Up clear lemon drink, is back as theof CoolOne 7Up advertiseme nt starts with a TV scree n, which looks like sig nal-in terfered. After several sec on ds, a 7Up symbolized red spot comes out, treads

51、on the heels of the spot is Fido Dido the brand icon. After see ing this sce ne, the sig nal-in terfered scree n disappears, in stead is rapid flotation of air bubbles yes, that 'he air bubbles in the 7Up clear lemon drink bottle not a sig nal-in terfered scree n!Surprise? Each American ' m

52、ind is open and wide, so they can make advertisementsdifferent.Traditionally, all the people in American are open-minded. They think differently and have much creativity. This value is also due to their pioneering spirit and informality. 3.6 Humor and QuipIn the award-winning “ GotMilk? ”video adver

53、tisement, the agency discovered through inquisitional groups that people never thought of milk until they were about to run out of it, and they only drank it with something else, such as a brownie, cereal, or a cookie. With this premise the agency created one spot in which a young man has just taken

54、 a big bite out of a peanut butter sandwich when the phone irngs. “For $10,000, can you name the man who shot Alexander Hamilton? ” He reaches for the milk to wash down the sandwich, but there are only a few drops left. He knows the answer Aaron Burr but all he can say is,“Awan Baa.”The advertiser i

55、ndicates the theme exaggeratedly through a humorous and quipped way that if people do not drink their milk, lives may get dejected. The advertisement shows us something inessential about milk instead of using taste character as usual.Another example which can show Americans'humor and quip is “ F

56、oster Farm chicken,s ” which featured two fugitive hens in the video. In one spot they crossed the California border and were stopped by a highway patrol officer, who shone a flashlight into the car and said, “ Foster Farm chickens are never frozen. This looks like freezer burn to me.”one of the bir

57、ds,“it 's a curling iron accident.”The humorous dialogue just wants to tell consumers that Foster Farm chickens are never frozen. In the video, two counterfeit hens are debunked by a highway patrol officer also shows that the Foster Farm chickens' idiosyncrasies are widely known.Americans ar

58、e known as the optimists by all the people around the world. They are born with a sense of humor. The Americans not only know how to distinguish joke and seriousness, but also advocate carefree environment both in work and in life.IV. CONCLUSIONConsumers' background may influence the process of

59、their cognizing the advertisement. And consumers may have different brandknowledge and familiarity.Advertisements are also cultural products, and culture provides the context in which an ad will be interpreted. Advertisers who overlook the influence of culture are bound to struggle in their attempt to communicate with the target audience.Advertising reflects its "own" culture. Budweiser's advertisement provides good example-"Whassup call waiting." In th