Advertisements Around the World

My first commercial, in Spanish, was aired in Spain. This is a clever advertisement that McDonald’s uses to promote their food. There is a family sitting down in the dining area of the McDonald’s. The commercial creates a nostalgic feeling of the way family dinners used to be conducted – where the family sits down to have a conversation and the parents and children actively participate. Now days, some families take the food to their own rooms, sit in front of the television or play on their cellular devices. With this nostalgia, McDonald’s is promoting how their food brings families together for a fun-filled outing.

Everyone at the table is smiling and laughing. The daughter asks the father, “Who do you like better?” The father responds saying that the daughter is like the sundae. She is full of joy and brings out the best in every moment. Then, he says the boy is like the McDouble and that he has a lot of flavor. After complimenting both his children, he says that picking from the dollar menu shows how they don’t ask for much. At the end, the daughter asks if her father prefers the sundae (the daughter) or the McDouble (the son). The father says he likes the McChicken (his food).

Not only is this a nice conversation between the three, but the father’s quick witted remarks set the background for the narrator’s appeal to McDonald’s, saying that McDonald’s offers many “rich” options. Also, price is never mentioned except for the dollar menu. Consequently, this highlights an inexpensive meal a family can eat, enjoying themselves without having to worry about the money. When a viewer watches this video, they might pair inexpensive, fun, and family-oriented with McDonald’s.

https://youtu.be/dIPybZdIcUE

My second commercial is a McDonald’s commercial from Great Britain. This commercial shows the great differences between Spain’s appeal to McDonald’s. The commercial focuses on the main character and his hunger. He wants to go to McDonald’s to eat, but his wife or girlfriend is trying to shop. During the entire video, he attempts to get out of the store quickly by pleasing his wife or girlfriend with compliments on every thing she tries on. Then, the man briskly walks into McDonald’s, escorting his wife by pulling her arm, as if he couldn’t have gotten there quicker.

Thus, the viewer might relate McDonald’s as a restaurant that can satisfy hunger. At the end of the clip, the narrator states, “Sometimes only a Big Mac will do.” By using the word “only” the audience may feel as if there is one possible way to satisfy your hunger – by eating at McDonald’s. Then, there is a joke, when the man cannot decide what to order, asking the cashier for his opinion.

 

In terms of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, both advertisements clearly exemplify their dimensions candidly. The UK is marked as the right columns, and Spain is marked as the left columns. Individualism is ranked very high for the UK. This is represented in the advertisement because it focuses on the man’s hunger. Also, the man does not really care about what his wife/girlfriend is trying on. Spain has a high uncertainty avoidance. This means that Spaniards like to have order and know what is coming next. Even in the video, the daughter wants to know who her father likes best. She wants a clear distinction.

Both countries value long-term orientation. In the case of the Spanish commercial, this is evident through the family itself. A family has strong bonds that can never be broken. In terms of the UK commercial, the long-term orientation is shown through the couple being together, and the man, although hungry, sticking with her to help pick out her clothes.


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One response to “Advertisements Around the World”

  1. Katie Faull Avatar
    Katie Faull

    Nice work, Tyler!

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