Cultural Taboo in Advertising. Differences in the Transmissions of Audiovisual Advertising in American and Hindu Market

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine differences between the transmissions of advertising con-tent in the low and high context culture where the content contains subjects that are widely rec-ognized as taboo. In order to do this, the analysis of audiovisual advertisements broadcast in theUSA and India was used. These adverts introduce the problem of gender discrimination (particularlyimportant in Hindu society) and different approach to gender stereotypes in both cultures (in Amer-ican culture this subject is not suppressed). There are contrasting ways of presenting these difficultsubjects in American and Hindu cultures. The things that are taboo in one culture become a stereo-type in the other. And so, the question arises: do the cultural differences determining transmission ofadvertising content in the countries with cultural taboo of a product on sale still exist?