The article pertains to a ban imposed by the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) in UK on a tourism advert by Australia because of a use of the sear word “bloody”. It further quotes the response of Director of Tourism Australia, Scott Morrison and indicates an element of ethnocentrism on part of the two nations.
The advert exhibits the use of English language as a cultural dimension that unifies both the countries however; the psychological dimension is what distinguishes the two. The article stipulates a different value system and a difference in beliefs and cultural norms(BBC NEWS 2006).
Hence the article has two aspects; one the one hand it is an amalgamation of cross cultural beliefs and values, it represents a promotion of acculturation whereby Tourism Australia attempts to promote a diffusion of cultural values using and a melting pot approach in promoting tourism in Australia. On the other hand it also elicits a sense of ethnocentrism, a cultural bias towards the belief of superiority of one’s own ethnic group.
In a marketing perspective ethnocentrism can act as a deterrent in consumer purchasing decisions(Puzakova 2010). Where the advert itself represents an ethnocentric approach by Australia to promote its culture, the article represents and ethnocentric bias by UK as well in terms of believing that its language use is more appropriate than that of low-context culture of Australia.
The differences in intercultural communication are evident. Whereby, Australians, based on this article, are more open in their use of language, the British seem more conservative indicating an insensitivity of variations in the international communication that lacks in the Australian advert(Chaney and Martin 2007).
It can also be argued that conservatism, politeness, being reserved and formal in the use of language are perhaps just stereotypical characteristics that plague the British society. Research, according to Scott Morrison, shows an appreciation of the Australian sense of humour in the British population.
Hence it could be in fact just an imposition of traditional values by the BACC to preserve its traditional front stage culture, ignoring the evolution of its backstage culture and a diversity of self concept in one culture. The ethnocentric bias is based on mindsets incorporating cultural and social factors and is developed through socializing agents like schools, families and friends and thus can be altered with a change in socializing agents(Puzakova 2010).
Thus the article is an example of xenophobia in its most ethereal forms which is persistent even in an era of massive globalization.
Bibliography
BBC NEWS. Australian advert banned on UK TV. 2006. Web.
Chaney, Lilian H, and Jeanette S. Martin. Intercultural Business Communication. India: Pearson Education Inc. , 2007.
Lilian, Chanay H. Intercultural Business Communication. India: Pearson Education Inc, 2007.
Mail Online. The world’s biggest family. 2011. Web.
Mamman, Aminu. “Employee intercultural effectiveness in a multicultural workplace.” International Journal of Human Resource Management (Peason), 1995: 528-552.
Puzakova, Marina. “Mitigating consumer ethnocentrism via advertising and media consumption in transitional markets.” 2010: 727-764.
Savani, Krishna. “ Cultural Conditioning: Understanding Interpersonal Accommodation in India and the United States in Terms of the Modal Characteristics of Interpersonal Influence Situations.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011: 84-102.