Marketing-relevant cultural impacts on the consumer behaviour within the communication policy determined using the United Arab Emirates

Bachelorarbeit von Marc Termath

Introduction:

The development of the world more and more leads to a global village. Commodities, which earlier were only accessible to the people in the immediate vicinity nowadays, are sold on the whole globe. The increasing dynamism within the foreign trade is perceptible, as every country including their companies is incumbent upon the same problem. The home market is already sated by the products and there is no more growth expected. The only way to handle this conflict is based on the „going international“ concept. The basis of the global trade was created by the changes in the international politics and the creation of international economic areas. Nevertheless, the acceptance that products and goods at foreign markets can be set down in the way, as it has nationwide turned out already, is to be handled with care. By tendency an increasing homogenization of the markets and even to the products is registered. This enables the internationally operating companies to use scale effects as well as synergistic effects by a centrally steered marketing. Nevertheless, the assumption, that even the country specific consumption patterns will match piece by piece, is not expected. Differences in the cultural specification of every individual export market and the connected consumer behaviour falsify this assumption. The condition that „global player“ have to face is „as much standardization as possible, so much differentiation as necessary“. Caused by the international and intercultural marketing, mistakes can mainly be avoided in the creation of the marketing measures.

Target of Investigation:

Currently no other region in the world can prove such an industry´s impetus like the Arabian countries. The numerous raw material occurrences, which belong to the demand-strongest commodities of the world, contribute their share to this unbelievable development. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are according to the OPEC (d.u.) in 7th place of the world’s biggest oil and gas occurrences.

However, the UAE already adjusts the future of their economy to alternative branches of economic sectors. For the time after the oil, areas like tourism or research and development of high technology are massively promoted by the government. Additionally the high population growths, particularly influenced by an immigration policy supporting the influx of foreign skilled workers, as well as one of the worldwide highest per head income and a huge purchase power contributes to this facts. Therefore, the market in the seven emirates is more lucratively than ever.

Foreign companies increasingly try to sell their products on the Arabian outlet market. Motivated by the aim of profit maximization and by strong competition at the home market, it is mandatory to open up new markets in foreign countries. However, the engagement of the foreign trade with the UAE is afflicted by a huge number of differences and requires a high intercultural competence in the today's global world. The biggest factor, affecting the foreign trade and the interaction with the inhabitants of the UAE, is the influence of the Arabian culture. Creation and function of business activities, notably in the field of marketing, regarding communication, language and behaviour of consumers therefore must be adapted. The elaboration of the marketing-relevant cultural-conditioned influences will be subject of this worksheet. Companies who separate from their proven marketing recipes in the domestic market and perceive an export market as an independent unit can be successful, abiding to the motto by de Mooijs that „needs may be universal, but attitudes, motivations, and expressions of needs vary.“ The analysis will also elucidate at what extent the prevalent cultural contrasts will take effect on the advertising and the related consumer behaviour in the UAE. As the culture, life-style and community differs markedly compared to western countries, it is expected to point out numerous culture specific adaptations as one result of this work. These adaptions will be summarized and can be used as a compendium to streamline local marketing strategies in the view of risks and chances.

Table of content:

Text Sample:

Chapter 5.3.1, Non-verbal creation elements:

The reasons for an adaptation of non-verbal creation elements in the international advertisement are variable. In advertisement the different meaning assignments of the consumers play a special role regarding to symbols and pictures and the basic intercultural differences in the non-verbal communication as well. As only 55 per cent of the communication takes place at the non-verbal level this makes clear, how important the incentive for the adaptation to the expected information processing of the consumers are. Among the non-verbal forms also facial expressions, gestures and eye contacts have to be mentioned.

In chapter 2.3 it was already clarified that the Arabian culture pronounces a strong leaning to high context communication. Even more it is a prime example of this kind of information exchange. This attitude and it is characteristic particularly becomes clear with the help of appropriate advertising messages, as high context cultures are more characterized by non-verbal elements than by verbal ones and the information is rather recorded by means of personal feeling. The so-called „read between the lines“ underlines this statement. With the help of both following advertising examples the typical behaviour patterns for consumption should be analysed which were already worked out in the theory part.

First we take a look at fig.6. At first sight we centrally see that a woman lies on the ground apparently folded. The slogan of this campaign is „Unbelievable soft clothes“. Already in initial it is apparent that the imagination power of the consumers will have the most part of the anticipated effect. Vernel goes back to the activating stimuli which are known to us from the SOR model. With this the advert intends, that the viewer merges into a phasic consciousness state. This means that he will deal with the announcement for a longer time, as it does not become clear at first sight, why the lady in the picture lies folded on the ground. Furthermore this means that the cognitive key stimuli are addressed. However, exactly this effect this campaign intends to attain. Conflicts and contradictions are initiated deliberately to maintain the interest for a longer time. The reverse of this method is that the kind of cognitive admission can diversify with many people. Hence an absolutely wrong Interpretation of the advertising measure could be originated. This problem was decisively avoided in the discussed case. As already mentioned, this campaign manages to succeed without a lot of text. Purposely this was chosen to draw the focus of attention after viewing of the picture to the single lettering, which was also placed directly and unmistakably below the promoted product. Therefore a confusion of the advertising message is reduced to a minimum. The diminished use of texts also counteracts against the effect of selective perception. Here the consumer is less confronted with external information but particularly with his own perceptions, as we know from chapter 3.2.2.2, entails a longer memorizing in memory.

This form of communication is also captured in fig.7, just like in the first example. Mainly the construction resembles, what could be also due to the fact that both campaigns were developed by the same agency, namely DDB in Dubai. In addition, the company Glad utilizes another cognitive influence feature. The thought of the fact that the melon could taste like meat appeals to the learning mechanism of the consumers. The consumer retrieves, while reviewing the advert, his learned experiences and compares them to the situation in the picture. Should he have already experienced this problem himself, he will absolutely express a purchase intention. By now, he already has a high expectation toward the product which can lead to negative learning effects and into rejection of the product. Even, if the consumer had this experience, he will think of this product and the picture linked with it at the time of the next purchase, as already mentioned, one main value in the Arab culture is to save one´s face. If the consumer positions himself in the situation to have guests and it happens to him that the presented dishes will not have the desired taste, this will be evaluated as embarrassing for the whole family. As discussed with Mr. Shehzad Yunus, Executive Creative Director at DBB Dubai on 07/25/2011.

On quite another part of the intervening stimuli the advertising campaign shown in figure 8 puts his focus on. The detergent manufacturer Ariel appeals to the emotional feeling of the consumers. This objective target the agency Saatchi & Saatchi has conspired to, which has also brought this campaign to life. It is known in general as a mediator of lovemarks. Here a new type of perfume added to the detergent is drawing the attention by the slogan „Ariel now with jasmine“. Again it becomes obvious that no lettering or slogan is used. It is once more assembled in a minimalistic approach. Concealed emotions from the past should be reawakened by the new creation of perfume or also stimulate the imagination, being in the nature surrounded by jasmine fragrance.

Cultural-conditioned adaptations within the non-verbal elements can become necessary, for example, also on account of a different perception and experience with erotic stimuli and sexuality. This experience has become a little bit less important during the last years due to the increasing western adjustment. Even within the seven emirates the acceptance towards showing naked skin fluctuates enormously. Dubai is considered here as the probably most liberal emirate where advertising campaigns have already adopted European character.