Nationalistic Stereotyping in Automotive Advertising: The Use and Viewer Response on the Internet

Abstract: This research is focused on the usage of nationalistic stereotypes in television commercials in the automotive industry. We specifically analyzed one case in which nationalistic stereotypes were used in an automotive advertisement in the USA, using netnographic and document analysis methods. Our main objectives were to first uncover how an automotive advertisement is now using these stereotypes to boost brand awareness, and secondly, to analyze how the public reacts and experiences advertisements that use these stereotypes. By applying Hall's Encoding/Decoding Theory and Brewer’s In-Group Bias Theory, we uncovered that advertisers are now using nationalistic stereotypes to provoke and create controversy that cuts through the clutter and creates buzz. As opposed to the previous tactics in implementing these nationalistic stereotypes in this industry where the ad addressed an entire nation to promote one country of manufacturing over another, this advertisement stereotyped a specific kind of American based on distinct values and ideologies in order to directly target their audience. It was also observed that the responses to the same commercial could be found on two ideological extremes, depending on political orientation. Another interesting finding of our research is the propensity for viewers’ to manufacture their response and comments within the social platform where a discussion is taking place. Our research seeks to make consumers aware of advertisers using nationalistic stereotypes in this way, so that viewers do not perpetuate stereotypes they’ve seen in commercials, but make decisions based on experiences of their own. Simultaneously, this research can serve to educate advertisers on what type of responses and reactions the public can have towards their usage of nationalistic stereotypes.