Sensational Media - A Multicultural Look

Bo Morris, Orlando

When Americans set out to identify cultural differences between the USA and another country, the set of variables they use to make these distinctions can be as different as Texas and Korean style barbeque. Some people will dive right into web-based searches and may or may not dig deeper to verify sources or accuracy of the content. Others will go “old school” and purchase a Lonely Planet guide. I once even had a friend traveling to a remote region in Mexico try to prep himself for Montezuma’s revenge by drinking Florida lake water by the gallon prior to his trip. Ironically, the “Sunshine State Sickness” was far worse than anything he contracted in Mexico.

For many, there is no tried or true method of analyzing cultural differences. However, while working with a colleague from Edelman Taiwan, it’s been interesting to go about this by comparing the different ways we raise consumer awareness for the brands we work with. In the past year, I’ve helped solve consumer irritation, through a light-hearted campaign, by listening to irritated individuals sound off via Twitter about everything ranging from broken air conditioners to co-workers who chew gum too loudly; I encountered the first-family of “Black Friday” who camped outside of a retailer more than to score discounts on electronic gadgets; and have led media relations for the amusement park industry’s largest trade show that showcases everything from the latest in high-tech rollercoaster development technology to the latest in funnel cake technology. Overall, this has been a year with campaigns that generally have a large focus on fun and humor.  

But I’ve learned that some cultures, notably Taiwan, have a very different consumer and media landscape that dictates the way people are engaged. For a long time Taiwan has been known as the “behind-the-scenes” enablers because the country has many business-to-business tech companies that develop chips and semiconductors that go in to final consumer electronics, but no consumer facing brands of its own. In order to make the country remain competitive in the global market, the Taiwanese government is quite eager to change this and cultivate consumer brands of its own.

When these brands do emerge in Taiwan there will still be a great challenge in raising awareness through the country’s media. Celebrities and reporters play a huge role in shaping Taiwanese consumers’ perceptions. However, to reach the country’s homogenous consumers, the ultra-competitive media often times resort to sensational journalism to attract and retain readership and viewership. As a result, there is little to no investigative journalism and reporters’ credibility isn’t high.

While America certainly has its share of sensational journalists, there tends to be more trust of consumer brands and their portrayal through mainstream media. As Taiwan looks to develop a new collection of core consumer brands, the greatest challenge to their success could be overcoming the sensational media and its powerful influence over its citizens.