High context culture focuses on information preprogrammed in the receiver and its setting, and does not place much importance on the message itself. There is a prevalence of restricted codes, contextual cues; subtle cues are more important than the actual words written/spoken. Explicit communication is considered rude and brash. (Talk less, think more)
Low context culture, on the other hand, focuses on the transmitted message in order to make sense of the context. Silence is interpreted as incomprehension; and, indirect communication is considered deceptive. Importance is placed on speech because in low context culture, it is used as a tool to express, clarify and influence. (Talk more, think more)
This subtle difference is especially important to advertisting companies which want to strike a chord with their target audience that is the masses. On a side note, if an advertisement is related with local obstrusive issues, it will be less effective. This is why several multinational corporations such as Sony and Nike, have numerous websites with specific content for varying regions. Depending on the product/advertisement concept, you wouldn't see an ad here in Singapore of a person escaping from a prison for quite sometime...
Happy Deepavali everyone! Thanks for please-commenting-here haha :)
2 comments:
HELLO! (: how's mass comm!
I really like how you explained the high and low context culture definitions. It also has brought me to a realization- if we put two people from to different contexts of cultures together, it may be easy to form miscommunication as they would both interpret the verbal and non-verbal cues very much differently.
As much as I am from Singapore, a high context culture, i do enjoy advertisements from overseas and low context cultures where they are boldly presented and allow thoughts to run wild. Such abstract nature of their advertisements provokes the mind and allows many interpretations which is very clever.
I do agree that catering to the different cultures is important as we never know how people may react to what is presented to them.
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