Globalization

Globalization, in not so many words, is the process of extending networks and connections to different culture and people all over the globe. The global music market is an example. This process is supported through such technological innovations as the internet which allows people from all over the world to communicate and exchange information. A good portion of the globe, however, is still excluded, which explains why globalization is a /process/ of expanding these connections.

Globalization can be closely attributed to the concept of gLOCALization. This concept explains the notion that a product is more likely to succeed globally if it can be adapted to specific locales and cultures. If, for example, a television show can be adapted to different cultures across the globe rather than just being offered in one country like the UK or the US, then that franchise will be much more likely to succeed globally. 

To expand on this point, I'll use the McDonalds chain as an example. McDonalds is an enormously successful global restaurant chain. Why is that? Well, we can certainly gain some insight from looking at how McDonalds restaurants around the world are different when they are adapted to different cultures. 

Here are some examples:

- In India, beef and pork are not served at McDonalds to in accordance with religious ordinances, but rather, the  "McCurry pan" is largely popular. 

- In Israel and Argentina, McDonalds serves Kosher burgers. 

- In Japan, McDonalds serves shrimp nuggets, in addition to chicken nuggets.

- In France, McDonalds serves a dish called the "Croque McDo" which is similar to the French "croque monsieur", a toasted ham and cheese sandwich.

The list goes on and on, but certainly we can see that the glocalization of the McDonalds chain can be attributed to its global success.


Here are a few international McDonalds commcercials:
Egypt
Japan
Korea
France

WEEEEEEEEE! WEEEEEEEE! WEEEEEEEEEEEE!

One string of advertisements that have stuck out in my mind as of late would have to be the commercials for Geico car insurance. From the "It's so easy, a caveman could do it" ads to the more recent series of advertisements featuring Mike McGlone, Geico's commercials are very effective. This is because insurance is something that applies to a very wide audience of people regardless of race, gender, etc. Lots of different kinds of people drive cars, and Geico has been successful, at least in my opinion, in constructing different ads that target a wide audience. I think they've really hit the nail on the head with their most recent string of advertisements which employ Mike McGlone announcing, "Could switching to Geico really save you 15 percent or more on car insurance?" and then proceed to pose a rhetorical question, which the assumes the audience knows the answer is "yes."  These commercials are effective for the wide audience of car insurance consumers because they aren't specialized to any specific group, and the humor in the ads can be caught easily by the audience, which aids in getting the commercials to stick in their minds. One Geico advertisement in particular that comes to mind is the one in which McGlone poses the usual question, and then follows with, "Did the little piggy really cry wee wee wee all the way home?", which is then followed by a clip on a pig sticking his head out of a car window, literally crying "WEEEE! WEEEEE! WEEEEE!"  all the way home.

Geico Advertisement

A strong appeal of advertisements like those of Geico is the appeal of providing a safety net for an affordable price. When making purchases or financial commitments, people like to be assured that what they are purchasing is dependable and durable, especially over long periods of time. Consumers want to know if they car they are looking at purchasing is equipped with the right safety features, so that everyone in the car will be as safe and protected as possible in the event of an accident. When purchasing a house alarm, consumers want to see a system that is dependable and can alert the family of danger quickly. The same principal applies for car insurance. Geico knows that car insurance is a very important service that is used by millions of drivers in the US, but they are also aware that car insurance is often very expensive, and in some cases, the financial bar prevents people from pursuing a drivers license because they cannot afford insurance. Geico's advertisements aim to show consumers that they offer dependable, easy-to-purchase car insurance at an affordable price that could save you money. With this knowledge, the advertisements aim to ensure consumers that they will be protected on the road, and more importantly, they do not have to worry as much about their car insurance bills every month.