How Turks (& being Turkish) affect Marketing to Turkey [2of3]

Impact of culture on marketing


To market anything effectively one has to provide what is wanted and needed, and also ensure that it can be afforded. A casual survey of certain metrics, (as well as the Cavusgil, Civi, Tutek, & Dalgic article), assures us that there is enough of a consumer base in place; indeed, it is growing stronger by the day (Guardian, the, 2010)(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010).

Given that communication is the ruler by which we measure relationship, and in order to effectively be heard one needs to determine what and where the "open listening” is in order to effectively speak to it, being as thoroughly in sync with a Turkish sensibility becomes our minimum ground of being.

With all this presumed in place, let us now turn to “soak in” as much of that Turkish sensibility as we can.

Best Ads on TV

Best Ads on TV is a media site that affords us a glimpse into examples of commercial television from most any country on the planet. Unfortunately, it asks a subscription fee (and regardless how modest, this writer's principles preclude contributing to anything that might diminish the Internet as free), (Best Ads on TV, 2010). However, before turning away a quick “by country” search yielded five items (so there was not ton of material here anyway). Of the five items, the majority were by domestic agencies (albeit one by the Turkish satellite of McCann Erickson, an American firm). Another couple of commercials were by Asian ad agencies. Not exactly a scientific poll, however a facet to be aware of.

Ads of the World

The Ads of the World website embraces most major forms of media (and is free), (Ads of the World, 2011). We randomly selected five items for review at this site. By comparison again, the creation of three of the ads were creations of Turkish firms. In the balance, one ad agency was Romanian and the other “Asian”. A quick critique of these five ads, amplifying their Turkish qualities, follows.

Romtelecom Dolce Interactiv: Living statue (http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/romtelecom_dolce_interactiv_living_statue). This television commercial leverages the gimmick of mannequins / statues come to life. This "trick" was passé in the West more than a decade ago, which calls into question a metric of global sophistication that has yet to be measured by House, et.al., Trompenaars or Hofstede. Conjectures would easily include the slowness of integration of Eastern Europe, and in part (as well as) for having been in the shadow of the Soviet Union. Nonetheless, it is a fun and light media piece. Culturally notable here would be the idealizing of soccer.

Migros M Milk: Nietzsche (http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/migros_m_milk_nietzsche). What delightfully engaging print piece this is. It appears done by the Goth spawn of Norman Rockwell, teetering on the edge (of what, for many in the US, would already be over the edge). Proportionally speaking, the young boy appears to be approximately five, and of course, he is reading Nietzsche. That is the shtick - milk makes you smart! (There is a companion ad of the seven-year young girl reading Freud … a nicely played detail is that she is wearing a skirt and her legs are crossed at the thighs). Much like a very different illustration, we will see in a moment, the sense of Turkish strength is on display here, no vulnerability at all.

Levi's Kids: Humpty (http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/levis_kids_humpty). Jeans have done exceedingly well in Turkey (Cavusgil et al., 2003). It is charming to note the European children's tale has had an audience in Turkey. To be aware of what among children's literature may be mutually familiar would either require research or the kind of strategic alliance that most of the literature (that touches on such things) refers to. The Turkish strength referred to in the preceding ad is on display differently. Not edgy Goth, yet for an image echoing children's illustration one may note a pleasant structure. One could argue an absence of whimsy. Then again, illustrated here is the toughness of Levi's. Would this be an excuse? If that argument wins, then the ensuing argument becomes why use a children's illustration format to communicate the toughness of jeans (because Turkish kids are tough?).