Before analysing the two Nike Basketball commercials, it is important to
mention that Nike is a global brand. According to de Mooji “a global brand can
be a mass brand looking to satisfy a common product need in all countries”
(2010, p. 11), which certainly holds true for Nike. He also ensures however,
that the approach of a standardized global advertising strategy can prove
difficult in countries with consumers of non-Anglo-American cultures. This
becomes very clear in the following quote:
“There may be global products, but there are no global people.”
“There may be global products, but there are no global people.”
(de
Mooji 2010, p. 5)
As a consequence, more and more global brands try to find the compromise between a global and a local advertising strategy, called ‘glocalisation’ (An 2007, p. 304). Nike is one of them. As an example serves the company’s website, which offers links to a local website for each country Nike operates in.
As a consequence, more and more global brands try to find the compromise between a global and a local advertising strategy, called ‘glocalisation’ (An 2007, p. 304). Nike is one of them. As an example serves the company’s website, which offers links to a local website for each country Nike operates in.
Nike Basketball USA
Nike Basketball China
Similarities:
What the two Nike-commercials have in common is that they advertise a
brand image rather than a specific product. Brand image is usually defined as
“a set of beliefs held about a particular brand” (Kotler 1988 quoted in
Meenaghan 1995, p. 24) and is formed in the consumers’ minds much like a
“magnetic human-like aura around the actual product” (Meenaghan 1995, p. 24).
The message both commercials are conveying is that through constant dedication
to the sport, hard work and sacrifice, everyone can become a successful
basketball player. This message mirrors the famous Nike-slogan JUST DO IT and
builds upon previous advertising campaigns by Nike like the FIND YOUR GREATNESS-campaign last summer.
Another similarity between the ads is the usage of famous basketball-stars.
While the Chinese NBA-star Yi Jianlian and the American All-Star Kobe Bryant
appear in the Chinese commercial, the currently best player in the NBA Lebron
James features in the American spot. This advertising technique adds
credibility to the brand as world leader in athletic products. It moreover increases
the recognition value of Nike and enhances the brand affect in a positive way,
according to studies by Misra and Beatty (1995, p. 170).
Even though basketball is a team sport, both advertising spots
concentrate on individual players. In the Chinese commercial the young Chinese
teenager is the centre of attention while in the American ad Lebron James adopts
that role.
Individuality is very important in most Western cultures and particularly in the United States, where individuality is often seen as “the basis of liberty, democracy, and freedom (…).” (Mueller 2011, p. 137)
It therefore seems understandable that the American commercial depicts James as a unique individual player, an aspect that is visually dramatised by the dark basketball court and the spotlight lit on him.
China however, is considered a collectivistic society where strong emphasis is placed on the welfare of the group rather than the individual. Interdependence, family and concern for others are therefore the key aspects in most Asian advertising campaigns. (Mueller 2011, p. 139) It thus seems not quite clear, why the emphasis in the Chinese commercial is placed on one individual player. The main reason for this might be Nike’s global advertising strategy as well as the intention to encourage individualism along with other Western cultural values.
Differences:
Individuality is very important in most Western cultures and particularly in the United States, where individuality is often seen as “the basis of liberty, democracy, and freedom (…).” (Mueller 2011, p. 137)
It therefore seems understandable that the American commercial depicts James as a unique individual player, an aspect that is visually dramatised by the dark basketball court and the spotlight lit on him.
China however, is considered a collectivistic society where strong emphasis is placed on the welfare of the group rather than the individual. Interdependence, family and concern for others are therefore the key aspects in most Asian advertising campaigns. (Mueller 2011, p. 139) It thus seems not quite clear, why the emphasis in the Chinese commercial is placed on one individual player. The main reason for this might be Nike’s global advertising strategy as well as the intention to encourage individualism along with other Western cultural values.
Differences:
A global strategy nevertheless allows for some adaption to the country
in which the commercial is shown. The very end of the spot shows a crowd of
Asian basketball players walking towards the viewer, each dribbling a
basketball. This scene shows that Nike did incorporate the cultural aspect of
collectivism, which is so essential in China.
Another difference between the two advertising spots is the language
being used in them. Even though this might seem mundane, the language of
communication is a crucial cultural aspect, as we learned before. It is
therefore important to point out that every message in the Chinese commercial
is spoken in Mandarin and in the American commercial accordingly in American.
The above analysis demonstrates more similarities than differences
between the both commercials and therefore proves that Nike indeed uses a
global advertising strategy with some local adoptions.
In the two commercials, Nike portrays basketball as a sport strongly influenced by American culture, for example through the employment of Hip Hop music, by putting the main focus on individual athletic success and by using American basketball stars in both ads.
Since the Chinese commercial is focusing on a young Chinese athlete, incorporates the cultural aspect of collectivism and is spoken in Mandarin, it is also obvious that some adoption to the Chinese market has taken place.
De Mooji explains that while in China advertising for Chinese brands is expected to communicate Chinese values, Western-style advertising is expected for global brands as they stand for modernization, sophistication and technology (2010, p. 223).
Sources:
An, Daechun, Advertising visuals in global brands' local websites: a six-country comparison, International Journal of Advertising, 2007.
De Mooji, 2010
Meenaghan, Tony, The role of advertising in brand image development, Journal of Product & Brand Management VOL. 4 NO. 4, MCB University Press, 1995
Misra and Beatty, 1995
Mueller, Barbara, Dynamics of International Advertising, Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York, USA, 2010
In the two commercials, Nike portrays basketball as a sport strongly influenced by American culture, for example through the employment of Hip Hop music, by putting the main focus on individual athletic success and by using American basketball stars in both ads.
Since the Chinese commercial is focusing on a young Chinese athlete, incorporates the cultural aspect of collectivism and is spoken in Mandarin, it is also obvious that some adoption to the Chinese market has taken place.
De Mooji explains that while in China advertising for Chinese brands is expected to communicate Chinese values, Western-style advertising is expected for global brands as they stand for modernization, sophistication and technology (2010, p. 223).
Sources:
An, Daechun, Advertising visuals in global brands' local websites: a six-country comparison, International Journal of Advertising, 2007.
De Mooji, 2010
Meenaghan, Tony, The role of advertising in brand image development, Journal of Product & Brand Management VOL. 4 NO. 4, MCB University Press, 1995
Misra and Beatty, 1995
Mueller, Barbara, Dynamics of International Advertising, Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York, USA, 2010
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