Advertisement sector in Turkey has been operating for a very long time. However, it is hard to say that most of the commercials and advertising campaigns are made very professionally until 2000s. In 2003 a new soda brand Cola Turka, which sells cola soda, entered the market. Their advertising camping was very professional and successful. The brand name became known immediately.
I believe that developing countries are still learning how to become more professional. It is a hard and time consuming process. Cola Turka's campaign is a good example of using financial and creative sources effectively from the perspective of acting as a professional in the market.
Two TV commercial videos below were first aired in 2003. Commercials show that Americans are becoming Turkish after they drink Cola Turka. The main purpose is to impose the idea of nationalistic branding at first. Commercials basically try to impose the idea that even Americans - the creator of cola- drink Turkish cola. Whenever an American in the commercials drink it, they start saying Turkish words and doing Turkish oriented expressions. Just in the beginning, we see African American people screaming "sampiyon Turkiye" on a truck which means Turkey is the champion. It is related to the most popular sport "Futbol" (Soccer) in Turkey. I should inform you that whenever there is a victory in an international soccer tournament, Turkish fans go out celebrate like crazy with other fans on the streets. Later on we see Chevy Chase meets with a guy in a bar who has a cowboy hat. They start talking and the guy who has a cowboy hat says Turkish words, and drinks Turkish cola. He asks Chase how is "Yenge" doing which means how is his wife doing. That is such a Turkish word and an excerpt from lifestyle. Yenge is literally means sister in law, however in Turkish culture especially close friends use the word yenge in a way as in the commercial. Rest of the commercial and the next commercial are also about how Americans that drink Cola Turka becoming Turkish. We even see Chase's new mustache after he drinks too. The way commercial mocks both culture is very smart. It both creates attention and delivers the message.
FIRST COMMERCIAL ... alternative link
SECOND COMMERCIAL ... alternative link
I remember how people were in rush to buy Cola Turka after these commercials were aired. People from any class, age, sex wanted to taste the new cola in the market. I remember myself buying it in the first week of its release. Well, to be honest, I did not like it and have not drink that since. On the other hand, it is the second biggest brand after Coke Cola in cola market in Turkey now. Pepsi lost its place to Cola Turka in a very short amount of time. Successful brand marketing is always sells and companies from developing countries should not feel insecure. They should focus on creative messages and productions. Thanks to the Internet, today, there are more opportunities and ways to deliver a message, show a product.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Poignant ideas, Udku. Could it be further speculated that the media machine can be used by developing countries to increase their revenue? Perhaps, through national and local brand creation, poorer nations can spark the economy and increase national pride.
To do this, one would need a product, means of production, and some sort of popular mass media outlet. What else am I missing from this puzzle?
I do truly ponder whether you have unearthed a simple, efficient method of stimulating nations into the 21st Century. The globalization of the media machine is most certainly what created the availability of this method. You pointed out that Turkish commercials did not look sophisticated until the start of this most recent century.
Great posting!
Evan
It would be interesting to look at the extent to which American culture has infiltrated into the Turkish culture and what aspects have been accepted and which have not... obviously, it's the lure of profit that motivates the importation, but I am always a little saddened when American companies make inroads in other countries, wary that the aggressive style of American business threatens the integrity of the resident culture. I wish I knew more about Turkish economics. I would love to look at it from a Marxist perspective.
Post a Comment