Understanding Different Marketing Approaches

Using Different Marketing Channels

It's amazing how practices among different cultures can be so...well, different! I had the opportunity to indulge in some Turkish cuisines at one of Berlin's train stations, and I saw something that (in my opinion) would be very unlikely to exist in the United States. The restaurant advertised its cuisines on one of the trash cans. Now, the association of food with trash cans typically does not sit well with many Americans for the simply fact that many people will find it unappealing. Moreover, many people will assume that the food is not of good quality. Yet, this form of advertisement seems to be a perfectly acceptable in Germany because I found additional advertisement like this one at other restaurants.

I chose this advertisement because it is a method I have never seen before, and I thought it was important to illustrate different marketing approaches among different cultures.

Applying IMC concepts
Let's face...when advertising any sort of food in the United States, marketers will typically use channels such as billboards, television, Internet, or the radio; but usually not on the face of a trash can.

Cross cultural analysis
German restaurants will use all channels to advertise their products and services. What may seem unconventional in America is typical in Germany.

Three (3) key points
1. Customs differ among different cultures.
2. Germany and the United States differ in some of their marketing approach.
3. The end result is always the same among different cultures...that's to make a profit.