The Global Consumer

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of globalization as it is experienced by both the advertising industry and the general public in France. To explore the advertising industry’s response to globalization, we will begin this discussion with an examination of issues related to the standardization versus localization debate, cross-national research on advertising messages, and the ‘hybrid identities’ of today’s global consumer as constructed through multicultural marketing and international campaigns.¹ Following this discussion, we will address globalization from the public’s perspective, exploring, among other topics, consumer perceptions of global brands (for instance, Elliott, 2001) and the defacing of advertising by activist groups in France (Lichfield, 2003). To address the concerns of those who associate globalization with Americanization, this chapter will also include a discussion of the impact of American foreign policy on consumer preferences for global brands and French-American relations in recent years. Included in this section will be the post-9/11 ‘Freedom Fries’ debate and efforts of advertising executives (and the US government) to improve America’s image abroad (for example, Love, 2003; Melillo, 2003a and b).