DISTORTED MIRROR OF ADVERTISING IN A MUSLIM SOCIETY: A study of television commercials by global companies in Pakistan

Abstract

Social Advertising of global business corporations is extensively investigated in various cultural settings for its modifying effect on host cultures, particularly promoting Western capitalist values. The same has raised concerns for Muslim societies where majority cultural values being derived from Islam are at loggerheads with Western values, a situation which may have ramifications for these societies. This study explored the very notion in Pakistan, and investigated the depiction of culturally consistent as well as inconsistent values LQ(cid:3)JOREDO(cid:3)FRPSDQLHV•(cid:3)WHOHYLVLRQ(cid:3)FRPPHUFLDOV(cid:3)UXQQLQJ(cid:3)LQ(cid:3)WKH(cid:3)FRXQWU\(cid:17)(cid:3)7KH(cid:3)FRQWHQW(cid:3)RI(cid:3)SULPH(cid:3)WLPH(cid:3)WHOHYLVLRQ(cid:3)DGV(cid:3) by these companies from April 2017 to March 2018 (N=131) was analyzed for the use of advertising appeals, applying Hofste GH•V(cid:3)GLPHQVLRQDO(cid:3)PRGHO(cid:3)IRU(cid:3)QDWLRQDO(cid:3)FXOWXUHV(cid:3)DQG(cid:3)DGYHUWLVLQJ(cid:3)DSSHDOV(cid:3)E\(cid:3) Pollay (1983) with modifications to include regionally standardized appeals, in the perspective of distorted mirror theorizing by Pollay (1986). The descriptive and statistical analysis of content found majority value appeals used in these ads reflecting values contrary to the cultural tendencies of Pakistani society, including appeals for regional standardization. It also found significant association of major inconsistent appeals with commercials of products used by youth and women. Appeal family was found the most frequently used DPRQJ(cid:3)FXOWXUDOO\(cid:3)FRQVLVWHQW(cid:3)DSSHDOV(cid:17)(cid:3))LQGLQJV(cid:3)SURYLGHG(cid:3)D(cid:3)XQLTXH(cid:3)ZD\(cid:3)RI(cid:3)H[WUDSRODWLQJ(cid:3)3ROOD\•V(cid:3)WKHRUL]LQJ(cid:3) that mirror of advertising is distort HG(cid:3)WR(cid:3)WKH(cid:3)VHOOHUV•(cid:3)LQWHUHVW(cid:17) with the cultural values of Pakistani society, (b) is there a prevalence of culturally incongruent messages in pursuit of regional standardization of television commercials, and (c) which audience segments are the major recipients of culturally inconsistent messages. The study aims to reason the dynamics of marketing strategy of these companies within peculiarities of Pakistani culture, which is at odds with their cultures of origin in many respects. Being first to explore the congruity of cultural values in global advertising in Pakistan, this study provides a reference point to such academic endeavors in future. Based upon the findings of this analysis, this paper presents policy recommendations. dimension and Ir =.87 for coding of ads for appeals). Pearson Chi-square test was applied to explore association of appeals with product categories.