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... hat it was not an American ad. The product is Hawaiian Tropics suntan lotion, something that can be found on the shelves of any U. S.
drug store or supermarket. It is a promotional ad, offering a sweepstakes to win a vacation. Commonly, when American companies over vacation give-aways, they are for resorts located in Mexico, The Bahamas or Puerto Rico. This is because these are the vacation areas closest to the United States. For someone living in Europe, these may not be the typical vacation spots. Ibiza, an island off the coast of Greece is a common vacation spot for Europeans.
The ad indicates this by offering the vacation to Ibiza rather than to another island closer to North America. A second difference that is apparent in the advertisement is the word mates, meaning friends. In American culture, ones acquaintance is their friend. In British culture, an acquaintance is a mate.
This term is used in everyday language the same way the word friend is. This is another example of how minor the differences in advertisements between the United States and Britain may be. In a British ad for HALS cough drops, they are not called cough drops. Instead, they are called soothers.
The product was easily distinguishable even though it was called by a different name. This is what cough drops are commonly called by British people, sometimes they are called suckers as well. Another difference in language that is in this particular advertisement is the word bloke. This was a word that I have never heard before. When I asked how it was interpreted, I was told that it is similar to the American term bimbo. A bloke is a woman who is depicted as dull-minded or ditzy.
A third minor difference that can be observed in this ad is the word tablet. Americans dont use the word tablet normally. Instead, the word pill is used. The English that is spoken in Britain is closer to old-English so it often sounds more refined.
The word tablet is a good example of this. Lastly, a print ad for Muller yogurt shows a difference between American and British culture. The concept of sex appeal is once again present. A beautiful women, wearing a tight dress, is shown with a spoonful of the yogurt in her mouth. It is in the copy where the difference is noticed. It reads: Fancy some chocolate?
It is clear to see that it means would you like some yogurt? , but the word fancy has a different meaning in American culture. In British culture, it means to like. If a person were to say they fancied someone, it would be their way of saying that they liked them. In the United States, if a person were using the word fancy, it would be in terms of decor. An example would be a fancy restaurant, or a woman wearing a fancy dress. In comparison to this British advertisement for yogurt, I have selected an American ad for yogurt as well.
I found it interesting to see the difference in the two. The most obvious is the picture. While the British ad featured a gorgeous woman, the American ad focuses on the product itself showing a container of Yoplait brand yogurt. The woman in the British ad was also in a very sexual position. The next difference was in the flavors and colors that were being featured. The British ad shows chocolate with dark colors.
This represents the element of seduction and intrigue that the campaign is trying to portray. The American ad shows vanilla yogurt on top of a pile of pink flowers. The vanilla may be symbolic of purity while the pink has an innocent affect compared to the dark colors. The last distinction that can be made between the two types of yogurt is its product positioning.
The American ad is showing that yogurt is good for you, promoting donations to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The copy reads: Even the lid is good for you with a picture of the pink breast cancer ribbon on the lid. This is also why the color pink is important, its symbolic of the cause. The British yogurt ad entices the reader into eating the yogurt by implying that if you do, you will be appear as sexy to the opposite sex. This difference is an example of cultural difference because of how health conscientious Americans are.
The greatest appeal of many food products, especially for female consumers, is whether or not it is healthy. Fat-free products often outsell the same products with higher fat contents. The concentration on health is not as strong in Britain. This is another way in which Americans can be seen as more vain and impressed by appearance. After conducting this research there are some stereotypes that are clearly portrayed between both American and British cultures. The most consistent one being the obsession of perfection and vanity among Americans.
This theme is not as common among the British. Another stereotype that is evident is about British people being heavy drinkers and smokers. Through much of British magazines there are constant references to being drunk. Although the same is true of American magazines, there is a predisposed idea of British people getting drunk often.
The most significant difference that I found between American culture and British culture was the use of language. It is interesting to see how the same language can be spoken differently. Both meanings and context are different when looking at advertisements from the two different cultures. British ads often appear more sexual and use explicit language while American ads are more refined. Pictures in both contain high sex appeal, simply because it has been proven that sex sells. In conclusion, although American and British cultures seem very similar, they are quite different.
Since the United States is the worlds leading power, it has a strong impact on many foreign cultures. In both cultures there is often a sense of nationalism present. When focusing on advertising on an international level it is always important to keep cultural sensitivity a priority, yet in this example it is does not have to be as stressed. The most important reason for this is because of the common language. British culture is unique because although it is very Americanized in many aspects, it has a strong sense of its own culture, which is also presented in its advertising industry.
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Research essay sample on Key Differences In British And American Advertising
