Summary

 

"International Advertising. Limited Standardisation"

 

By the standardisation of advertising one understands the identical realisation of advertising means which are used internationally. There are two kinds of standardisation: a) standardisation of processes and b) standardisation of programs.

 

The standardisation of processes refers not only to planing, information and control during the development, but also to the human resources management. The standardisation of programs means the adjustment of form and content of advertising means. An advertising means is standardised if the adverting message is realised identically regarding picture and copy.

The reason for standardising processes is cost reduction. The reason for standardising programs is an increased advertising effect. If theses goals are reached depends on the conditions of international advertising. They consist in the degree of market saturation, in the advertising clutter and style, the product, the company's environment and its organisation.

Whereas huge knowledge exists about the effect of standardising processes, the research results about standardising programs are fragmentary due to an inexact definition of the problem.

In the author's opinion the investigation of word association behaviour of the international target group fills this gap. This approach permits to draw conclusions about the understanding of standardised advertising means. It provides information about how advertising means have to be designed so that the advertising message is understood similarly in all countries.

 

Source: Dmoch, T. (1996), Internationale Werbung. Standardisierung in Grenzen, in: Meckel, M. und M. Kriener (Ed.) (1996), Internationale Kommunikation. Eine Einführung, Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag, p. 179 - 199.