With the global spotlight firmly on the Middle East, this paper sets out to investigate the influence the West has had on advertising content in the region. Using both in-depth interviews with industry professionals, as well as a survey of consumers, prevailing thoughts about Middle East culture are used to assess the nature of any change. Results indicate an acknowledgment of the impact from the West, though this is perceived as indirect; attributed to lifestyle rather than ad content. The implications being that there is still a need to communicate within a framework of Middle Eastern cultural values. Questions are also raised about the conflict between authentic tradition and modernity affecting the interpretation of results.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF MARKETING (ISSN 0973-8703) is a double blind peer reviewed refereed monthly journal, which was started in 1968. It is the oldest and the only monthly journal of Marketing in India. It is an authentic research publication dealing with Marketing; Advertising; Consumer Behaviour; Sales Management; Advertising & Promotion Management; Business Education; Business Information Systems (MIS); Business Law; Communication; Direct Marketing; E-Commerce; Global Business; Health Care Administration; Marketing Research; Marketing Theory & Applications; Office Administration/Management; Organizational Development; Production/Operations; Public Administration; Retailing; Sales/Selling; Services; Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure; and Industrial Organization.