Chinese Consumers’ Attitudes Towards Offensive Advertising: A Challenge for

1. Chinese Consumers’ Attitudes Towards Offensive Advertising: A Challenge for International Marketers Kim Shyan Fam – City University of HK David Waller - University Technology Sydney Zhilin Yang – City University of HK Regan Lam – City University of HK Paper presented to 2002 ACR Asia Pacific Conference May 16-18, 2002, Beijing, China

2. Purpose of Study This paper surveys 238 Chinese consumers to determine their level of offence towards various controversial products and the main reasons for offence towards advertising. The paper will analyze the issues by comparing survey responses based on gender and age and some implications will be made regarding the results and advertising in China.

3. Research Methodology • questionnaire distributed to 238 students (both undergraduates and postgraduates) • Wuhan University, China • Five-point scale was used: 1 = Not at All, 5 = Extremely Offensive • a total of 17 products were presented in the questionnaire • reasons for the offence consisted of 7 items including anti-social behaviour, indecent language, nudity, racist images, and subject too personal.

4. Discussion & Conclusion • Gender • - females were more offended than males by sex-related products • - females are less likely to openly discuss about sex and male body • - males in contrast were more likely to discuss female body, swear, say • vulgar words in public with little or no censure • * one can relate these results to the Chinese cultural values of chastity, • conservatism and sense of shame • * such inequality can be attributed to the Chinese society’s view that a • woman should be gentle, feminine, well-behaved, and knows her ‘stated’ • position in the society.

5. Discussion & Conclusion 2. Age: 17-22 (changes in advertising took place in China after 1979 & one child policy vs. 23+ age group) - younger group tends to be offended by ads for Racially extremist Groups; Gambling, Cigarettes; Guns & Armaments, Alcohol. - older group was more offended by sex-related ads like Female Contraceptives; Female Underwear; and Condoms. * reasons include the younger group was more educated, more exposure to the ill effects of racism, aware of the consequences of smoking, alcohol abuse, gambling and increasing gun owner-ships * older generation was less receptive of sex-related ads could be due to the Chinese values of ‘keeping oneself disinterested and pure’, and ‘having few desires’(Chinese Culture connection) and their hardened attitudes towards women being subservient to men.

6. Discussion & Conclusion • the issue of local culture must be respected amid the desire to ‘cut through the clutter’ • international marketers should not take for granted that the younger generation is more receptive of their products than the older generation as the former still cling on to their cultural values despite being more liberalised In sum, our study found that AGE was a major determinant when it came to offence towards certain advertising. They include certain addictive products (alcohol, gambling), social/political groups (political parties, racially extremist group) and personal products (female contraceptives).