4.3.1 Subtheme 1: The reflection of national features in promotion content

To investigate whether national features are reflected in promotion content or not I asked: “What is the difference in advertising for Russia and Ireland? Are there any national specific features reflected in content?”

Marketing communication literature mostly tends to support the opinion that advertising content differs among countries with diverse cultural identities. Indeed, this statement is formed with respect to reflection of values and social foundations of each target country (Guang and Trotter, 2012). For example, if Chinese local commercials reflect traditional values and also trend towards contemporaneity, American commercials represent individualism and valuable product characteristics (Lin, 2001). On the one hand, with regards to Ireland and Russia in a marketing context, it might be supposed that the reflection of individualism in advertising might be more eye-catching for Irish consumers, rather then for Russian, bearing in mind that Ireland is a Western country. However, there was a study about perception of the same advertising content among culturally similar countries (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic ,Croatia) which proved that despite similarities in cultural dimensions, customers´ emotional reaction patterns might be affected by national cultures and varied significantly, though certain similarities were identified as well. These results have relevant implications for marketing, questioning standardized advertisement messages when using regional groupings (Aaker et al., 1997). National features, traits, and values incorporated in commercial context for various cultures might be appealing in greater or lesser degree (Munson and McIntyre 1979). Therefore, comprehension and determination of national cultural norms are more likely to form a clear message and avoid misinterpretation in marketing communications (McCracken, 1987).

In literature review it was outlined that advertising content differs among culturally diverse countries reflecting national values and social foundation (Guang and Trotter, 2012). To illustrate, Chinese advertising reflects traditional values and also trend towards contemporaneity, while American commercials represent individualism (Lin, 2001).

Hotel Chain “S” doesn’t create different advertising content for both Irish and Russian, however still some cultural differences were noticed.

“We have noticed how, in general, our Russian guests prefer seeing the ads in their language, while the rest of Europeans do not have a problem with English (which in the case of Irish people doesn’t make a difference, but it does when they are German). Moreover, Russian value more luxury rather than location”.

Even though the content is the same, marketers from Hotel Chain “S” meet basic facet of culture – language.

The situation in Travel Agency “I” is different, they tend to create something that distinguish them from other companies despite the fact that culturally different people might perceived that with different effect.

Travel Agency “I”:

“…We market Ireland internationally, it is very competitive market and obviously we play to that stress. We know that people come there because of scenery, the culture and people. These are 3 things which we emphasise give as competitive advantage.”

Travel Agency “R” is the only company whose practice matches theory. In fact, as marketer of this company is Irish, who has been living in Russia for 15 years, in the beginning of his career a deep understanding of national differences regarding marketing communications was required. A marketing research on the issue what is influential for Russian was done.

Even though in the past marketer was not creating advertising for tourism industry, that experience he gained from promoting other products in Russia gave a strong feeling of a need adapt to Russian audience .

“… We started by adapting commercials made in Central Europe that the companies didn’t want to choose for commercials in Russia ..even though these commercials were made in Poland, in Check Republic, we adapted them into Russian market…..The advertising industry in general requires extreme localization…”

This refers to the study, which proved that despite similarities in cultural dimensions and geographical proximity, customers´ emotional reaction patterns might be affected by national differences (Aaker et al., 1997).

For tourism company the marketing research revealed that history and traditions reflected in marketing communications are the most influential for Russian audience connecting this idea with country background, when lots of historically meaningful places were destroyed in the time of communism and Second World War.

“…Unless you have a word-famous star (Rinaldo, Clooney) dubbed into Russian then no problem…”

“…But if you show something from someone daily life it is very important to have it relevant. It is the same if you show Russian commercial in English in Ireland. people will say this is not relevant to me…Localization is very important…”

As for Irish audience, overall, witty advertisements with humour in content are influential as well as “nostalgic, family-oriented, summery images…”

Linking the last thought with theory, some differences are identified. It was assumed that in Ireland as well as in America the reflection of individualism and not family might be influential, while in practice it turned out to be that even though Ireland is a Western country and more individualistic, the images of family are influential as well as it might be applied for collective countries, for example Russia.