Recommendation of Advertising

Recommendation of Ў°Got Milk?Ў± Ad for Application in South Korea

I. Recommendations and Summary of Analysis

To appeal to a Korean audience, the facial expression and the gestures of a model should be changed as the model hold a cup of milk, and make a smile. The Ў°Got Milk?Ў± ad is one of the typical masculine and low context American culture ads. Angelina JolieЎЇs facial expression and gestures are very aggressive, tough, and masculine. The ad entitles Ў°Got milk?Ў± which is a very direct way of approaching consumers. Although American culture is built as directness, the Koreans are more concerned with cooperative behavior in the means of indirect communication. The Koreans value quality of life more than the Americans as they accept happiness in the form of the present, rather than of the future. Thereupon, the Koreans are less-goal driven than Americans.

In order to succeed in collectivist Korean culture, I recommend having enough models in the ad from the same social group who could share unified goals. Additionally, the message needs to change Ў°Share some Calcium with the ones you loveЎ± instead of Ў°Nine essential nutrients for my one essential body.Ў± American culture values individualism. This ad has an individual who appears to have a strong sense of self as a primary source of identity and commitment. The ad also emphasizes individualism by Ў°Nine essential nutrients for my one essential bodyЎ± message. However, Korean culture is very opposite from the American. Koreans emphasis on groupЎЇs goals and value sharing emotional expressiveness based on collectivism.

To be well received by a high power distance and avoidance Korean conservative culture, I would recommend having the model costume appropriately that covers her body and relates the milk ad. American culture is based on low power distance and weak avoidance. Therefore, they accept the flashy and gaudy clothing of a model. Creativity and personal choices are viewed as important as groupЎЇs authority in American culture. Unlike American culture, Korean cultures still has remaining image of Confucian era womenЎЇs role and status in the society where women are expected to be obedient (Korea 1). Thus, conservative Koreans would be surprised to see that flashy and gaudy image of model and even feel offended to see women inappropriately dressed in public.

II. Background of the Problem

a. Authorization of the Study

I submit this report on revision to the Ў°Got Milk?Ў± ad to better adjust in South Korean market on March 20, 2006. Professor Martha Blalock gave the request for the report on March 11, 2006.

b. Statement of the Problem

To market its product in South Korea, Ў°Got milk?Ў± ad needs to change its original ad in order to succeed in different cultural context. The Ў°Got milk?Ў± ad represents the low power distance and avoidance, individualistic, and low context American culture. American would appeal and react toward the ad , but Koreans may feel unfamiliar and bemused by this ad. In order to be accepted in KoreanЎЇs relatively more high power distance and avoidance, collectivist, and high context culture, the ad needs to be modified the facial expression and gestures of a model, messages, and images of the ad.

c. Method in Solving the Problem

In order to modify the ad to fit Korean culture, we researched, analyzed and compared the Ў°Got milk?Ў± ad with another Ў°Got milk?Ў± ad. However, the compared ad had an opposite atmosphere; the ad has 5 models, images like a family, with less flash and gaudy clothing, and with warm facial expression and gestures. I was convinced that this was the most collectivist, high context and high power distance ad among the Ў°Got milk?Ў± ads. I also was convinced that I could best adjust the three main problems of the ad by comparing with this collectivist Ў°Got milk?Ў± ad.

d. Steps in Analyzing the Problem

The following analysis is an evaluation of the three essential problems of Ў°Got Milk?Ў± ad. The first problem is about the facial expression and gestures of a model. Angelina Jolie in the ad has aggressive, tough and firm facial expressions along with strong, masculine gestures. For a low power distance country such as America, this would be acceptable. However, it would not acceptable in Korean culture where respect for authority and hierarchy is emphasized. Second, the problem is about the individualism that has shown in advertising. There is only one individual in the ad. As an individualistic culture, the American