METHODOLOGY

In order to reveal the strategy behind different ads for the same product, it is necessary to develop an own analyzing-strategy that justifies decisions and conclusions made in this study. Therefore the premises of this study are: 

• Companies operating in foreign markets take different local conditions into account. 
• Companies have to find the right balance between standardization and specialization of a product (concerning different marketing aspects such as product, place, price and promotion).
• Differences in ads can therefore be explained by local and cultural specifics. 

This study examines the marketing activities of one product (brand) in two different countries at the same time in order to see in how far the concept of specialization and standardization of marketing campaigns is implemented. This study analyzes the marketing actions of Louis Vuitton. One French and one Japanese marketing campaign will be subject to this study. I will be analyzing 4 Japanese ads (2 spots of 2003 and 2 spots of 2009), 6 French ads (3 print ads of 2003 and 3 print ads of 2009):

• Analysis of the two countries (marketing and cultural environment).
• Analysis of the brand Louis Vuitton.
• Analysis of the different ads.
• Interpretation of the results, taking the marketing and cultural specifics into account.