The Effectiveness of Using a Global Look in an Asian Market

Abstract

Adopting a global look has been an important strategy for marketing in multinational and local markets. This research explored the use of two global-look strategies in Taiwanese advertising: the use of Western models and English brand names. First, a content analysis revealed that Western models were used to promote products in 46.81 percent of magazine advertisements, whereas English brands were featured in 53.90 percent of the advertisements. Variables such as distribution area and product categories were shown to influence the use of these strategies. Second, an experiment examined the advantages and disadvantages of adopting global-look strategies in advertising. The use of Western models and English brand names enhanced the perceived globalness of the brand and encouraged participants to infer that the product originated from a developed Western country. However, a global look is not always persuasive. On the one hand, using Western models enhanced the perceived quality of the product. On the other hand, participants showed an “in-group bias” by rating products with Chinese brand names, as opposed to English brand names, higher on brand friendliness, brand trust, self-brand connections, and brand liking. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for marketing.