Postmodern advertising has become a prominent advertising form and, in recent years, it has been increasingly used by international companies to appeal to consumers in different parts of the world. However, despite its currency, extant studies on postmodern advertising are basically in an atheoretical manner; reception study is especially lacking
about how postmodern advertising is actually received by consumers; and there has been almost no study about how postmodern advertising works internationally. Motivated by the gap in literature and the growing importance of international advertising markets in the globalization condition, this project is aimed to systematically study postmodern advertising and its reception internationally, particularly from a cross-cultural perspective.
The book first reviews theories of postmodernism in relation to culture, representation, aesthetics, and consumption, which lays out the theoretical framework for studying postmodern advertising. Then, by synthesizing extant studies on postmodern advertising as well as discussions on postmodern reading experience, the book discusses the major structural features of postmodern advertising, namely, appropriation, fragmentation, self-reflexivity, and spectacularity, and the nature of the reception of postmodern advertising. Next, the
globalization condition—its repercussions for world culture(s) and international advertising—is reviewed, and the logic of using postmodern advertising for the international markets under globalization is then analyzed.
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF ADVERTISEMENTS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Postmodern Advertising and the Globalization Condition
Trajectory of the Book
Definitions
CHAPTER II
POSTMODERNISM, REPRESENTATION, CONSUMPTION,
AND ADVERTISING
Postmodernism and the Modern-Postmodern Problematic
Postmodern Culture, Representation, and Aesthetics
Jean Francois Lyotard
Jean Baudrillard
Frederick Jameson
Scott Lash
Postmodern aesthetics
Postmodernism and Consumer Culture
Hyperreality
Fragmentation
Reversal of production and consumption
Aestheticization of everyday life
Postmodernism and Advertising
CHAPTER III
POSTMODERN ADVERTISING AND ITS RECEPTION
Defining Postmodern Advertising
Key Features of Postmodern Advertising
Appropriation
Fragmentation
Self-reflexivity
Spectacularity
Postmodern Reading Experience and Advertising Reception Research
The postmodern reading experience 1-schizophrenic, depthless fascination
The postmodern reading experience 2-productive, critical deconstruction
Postmodern advertising reception research
CHAPTER IV
GLOBALIZATION, CULTURE, AND POSTMODERNISM
Globalization
Globalization and Culture: Three Paradigms
Homogenization
Differentialism
Postmodernism
CHAPTER V
GLOBALIZATION AND ADVERTISING
Advertising in the Globalization Age: The Standardization
vs. Localization Debate
Postmodern Advertising and the Global Market
CHAPTER VI
INTERNATIONAL CONSUMERS IN THE
POSTMODERN-GLOBALIZATION CONDITION
Postmodern Advertising as a Glocal Strategy-The Target International Consumers
Cultural capital
Generation Y in the U.S.
The Post-1980 Generation in China
Traditional Cultural Differences between the U.S. and China
Individualism/collectivism
High- vs. low-context culture
Independent vs. interdependent self-construal
CHAPTER VII
METHOD
Data Collection
Projective techniques
Procedure
Stimuli selection
Informants selection
Data Analysis
CHAPTER VIII
RECEPTION OF POSTMODERN ADVERTISEMENTS BY
INTERNATIONAL CONSUMERS
Reading Strategies
Interpreting appropriation
Interpreting fragmentation
Interpreting self-reflexivity
Interpreting spectacularity
Brand Meanings and Connotations
Concluding Remarks
CHAPTER IX
CONCLUSIONS
Implications and Contributions
Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX A
A1. INSTRUCTIONS FOR DIESEL ADVERTISEMENT
A2. INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEVI'S ADVERTISEMENT
A3. INSTRUCTIONS FOR BENETTON ADVERTISEMENT
APPENDIX B
BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE
APPENDIX C
INFORMANT DEMOGRAPHICS
INDEX