Toward an Understanding of Cultural Values Manifest in Advertising: A Content Analysis of Chinese Television Commercials in 1990 and 1995

Abstract

Based on Richard Pollay's concept that advertising is a “distorted mirror,” the author analyzed the content of 483 Chinese television commercials in 1990 and 1995. Results show that “modernity,” “technology,” and “youth” predominate in Chinese advertising in the 1990s, and the dominance of “quality” in 1990 was superseded by “tradition” in 1995. Symbolic values from both Eastern and Western cultures occurred more frequently in 1995. This change implies that contemporary Chinese advertising is not only a “distorted mirror” but a “melting pot” of cultural values. Results also indicate that the new advertising law taking effect on 1 February 1995 did not reduce Western values depicted in Chinese commercials.