Cross Cultural Differences in Tv Advertising, Comparative Study: Usa, Austria and Serbia

CROSS CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN TV ADVERTISING, COMPARATIVE STUDY: USA, AUSTRIA AND SERBIA

Branka Novčić Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade Jove Ilica 154, Serbia [e-mail]

Vesna Damnjanović Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade Jove Ilica 154, Serbia [e-mail]

Abstract The main purpose of this study was to examine and compare the presence of cultural differences in advertising within television commercials based on Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions: power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long term orientation. Observation of television commercials included surveying among younger population in following countries: the United States of America, Austria, and Serbia. Classification of TV commercials was based on market research results on shopping habits prior to the recession in these countries. Our findings indicate that extent of cultural differences founded in television commercials for each country is strongly related to the index values of Hofstede 's five cultural dimensions respectively.

Keywords: cultural differences, Hofstede, TV advertising, USA, Austria, Serbia JEL Classification: M31

1. INTRODUCTION Last decade of the 20st century brought one of the major developments in the business world – market globalization. Domestic and regional markets became too small for large companies which wanted more. New reality was created for companies which wanted to do business around the globe and the world without boarders emerged. Today, the world is a large playground for multinational companies. Global competitors compete between themselves on the global market in order to win over consumers globally. World trade is driven by these facts. There are many factors due to which companies are focusing on global market. Development of faster communication, transportation, and financial transactions, enabled multinational companies to do business globally

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