Introduction
Nowadays, the concept of globalization is frequently used to explain the current changes in different spheres of life. On the one hand, globalization opens new doors to a number of big and small companies and provides people with impressive opportunities. People use transcontinental free flows of the network, develop their activities, and stabilize power at the global level (Alserhan, 2016). On the other hand, this process destroys certain companies and creates challenges. International advertising should be improved due to the existing technological, economic, political, and cultural exchanges between the nations (Cheng, 2014). Companies have to understand the needs of local people and think about the demands of other nations that could become their potential customers.
Regarding such unpredictable impact of globalization on international business, people have to think about globalization and the localization of their ideas. As a result, the term “glocalization” was introduced to cover all those attempts taken to promote business in regards to local and global considerations (Alserhan, 2016). Glocalization is the possibility to take the benefits of globalization and localization, such as the possibility to cooperate with different countries and the possibility to recognize consumer traits in order to avoid such risks as low prices and poor quality control. Such strategies as listening to customers, using the same brand, creating a welcoming environment, and providing clear information help companies take the first step and customers understand their opportunities.
This study aims at conducting a comparative content analysis of two commercials developed by HSBC Company and prepared for different countries and clarifying the peculiarities of global campaigns in regards to main elements of advertising including characters, length, music, background, slogan, and a story.
Company Background
HSBC is the world’s biggest organization that provides people with banking and financial services (HSBC, 2016). HSBC aims at finding the space where prosperity and growth could be developed and establishing new markets and hopes. The company was founded in 1865 as the main possibility to organize trade between European and Asian countries. Much attention was paid to the development of its values and distinctive features. Every HSBC employee supports such qualities as dependability, openness to new ideas and cultures, and communication.
HSBC major products and services are divided in regards to the personal and business needs of its potential customers. The company helps people create credible business bank accounts, learn the peculiarities of credit, lending, and saving processes, consider the worth of international business and corporate banking. Besides, clients have access to numerous investing, mortgages, and insurance services. In fact, any kind of banking product may be available to the customers of HSBC, who are able to formulate their financial needs in a proper way.
The clients of HSBC may become developed or developing organizations that need support or explanation of their possible financial operations. There are also many personal accounts that are created for ordinary citizens who want to protect their savings.
The company has approached the global level by introducing itself as a powerful international company that is able to consider the needs of people and organizations from different countries. At this moment, the company has more than 4,400 offices worldwide, including such continents as North America, Latin America, and Africa, and cooperates with more than 46 million people in such spheres as global private banking, wealth management, commercial banking, and retailing (HSBC, 2016).
Global Campaign Analysis
There are two global campaigns developed by HSBC: where the differences between English and Chinese traditions cause misunderstandings, and where the Indian poor technological background confuses people while using washing machines. The prevailing idea is to demonstrate the benefits of having something in common, like one local bank, and avoid possible cultural or other misunderstandings. Such an idea helps to consider the traditions of different countries and develop a successful business. The target group of both includes business people, who aim at creating and promoting business in different countries at the same time.
The comparative analysis of two ads of the same company helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the advertising elements that influence the perception of information (Negm, 2016).
The campaigns have many things in common because their focus is to use the existing differences in cultures and traditions as the main challenge in developing international business and consider the importance of the same organization in the form of a local bank that unites different countries, knows different traditions, and uses all available methods to destroy the cultural gap.
Conclusion
In general, the analysis of different ads of the same company shows that globalization creates numerous challenges for companies that want to develop their business internationally. It could happen that a person or a company knows a lot about the chosen sphere of business and is ready to develop services. However, the existing cultural, ethical, or religious differences and traditions may become a problem. Therefore, the idea to begin its business with one local bank with its mature representatives in many countries and avoid any misunderstandings seems to be reasonable. HSBC is a powerful international organization that proves its existence using evident cultural differences between people and the necessity to have enough background information about traditions, beliefs, and values. In other words, it is not enough to be an expert in the chosen sphere. It is more important to know partners and respect their culture.
The example of HSBC global campaigns introduces the global advertising strategy based on culture and tradition. People have to listen and learn from each other in order to avoid misunderstandings and some kind of embarrassment just because of a poor level of knowledge or the neglect of evident factors. Cultural differences may be defined as one of the main problems for many companies that occur because of globalization. Therefore, the impact of globalization on international business cannot be neglected or misjudged. If people want to succeed in international business, they have to expand their knowledge. Regarding the analysis of the campaigns in this study, HSBC may be defined as the first company to address because it introduces powerful and educative ads and develops the values that are crucial for international business.
References
Alserhan, B.A. (2016). The principles of Islamic marketing. New York, NY: Routledge.
Cheng, H. (2014). The handbook of international advertising research. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons.
Drummond, S. (2007).HSBC ‘Eels’ ad [Video file]. Web.
HSBC. (2016). Our purpose. Web.
Negm, E.M. (2016). Exploring the glocalization of advertising strategies in Egyptian context: A content analysis of television commercials. In 35th International Business Research Conference. Dubai, UAE: American University in the Emirates.
Trdadanettitititdada. (2008). Washing machine – HSBC commercial [Video file]. Web.