Standardization of promotional elements in an international context is an important issue faced by multinational managers and has been the subject of debate for several decades. However, to date, few empirical studies have examined the intricacies of this issue, and thus there is little guidance for academics or practitioners. This study empirically examines the influence of four factors—market similarity, process standardization, environmental similarity, and mode of entry—on two elements of promotion standardization: advertising message and packaging. The authors test the hypotheses with both quantitative and qualitative data from U.S. multinational corporations conducting business in the emerging market of India. Results indicate that the four antecedent factors have different effects on advertising message and packaging standardization. The authors present several academic and managerial implications.
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