Functional and experiential routes to persuasion: an analysis of advertising in emerging vs. developed markets

Should advertising be approached differently in emerging than in developed markets? Using data from 256 television commercial tests conducted by a multinational fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) company in 23 countries, we consider two routes of persuasion: a functional route, which emphasizes the features and benefits of a product, and an experiential route, which evokes sensations, feelings, and imaginations. Whereas in developed markets the experiential route mostly drives persuasion, the functional route is a relatively more important driver in emerging markets. In addition, we find a differential impact of local/global and traditional/modern. This finding does not hold for individualistic versus collectivistic ad appeals between emerging and developed markets. We discuss implications of our finding for advertising in emerging markets and for the development of a global consumer culture.