The discussion of differences in the marketing environments of various countries suggests that each market is different and requires a distinct marketing and advertising program. However, in recent years a great deal of attention has focused on the concept of global marketing, where a company uses a common marketing plan for all countries in which it operates, thus selling the product in essentially the same way everywhere in the world. Global advertising falls under the umbrella of global marketing as a way to implement this strategy by using the same basic advertising approach in all markets.
The debate over standardization versus localization of marketing and advertising programs began years ago. But the idea of global marketing was popularized by Professor Theodore Levitt, who says the worldwide marketplace has become homogenized and consumers’ basic needs, wants, and expectations transcend geographic, national, and cultural boundaries. One writer described Levitt’s position on global marketing as follows:
Levitt’s vision of total worldwide standardization is global marketing at the extreme. He
argues that, thanks to cheap air travel and new telecommunications technology, consumers the
world over are thinking—and shopping—increasingly alike. According to Levitt, the New
Republic of Technology homogenizes world tastes, wants, and possibilities into global marketing
proportions, which allows for world standardized products.
Not everyone agrees with Levitt’s global marketing theory, particularly with respect to advertising. Many argue that products and advertising messages must be designed or at least adapted to meet the differing needs of consumers in different countries.