A comparison of service quality dimensions conveyed in advertisements for service providers in the USA and Korea : A content analysis

Purpose – This cross‐national study seeks to examine the service quality dimensions and advertising appeals conveyed in services advertisements in the USA and Korea. Design/methodology/approach – Using Hofstede's cultural dimensions as a basis for distinguishing cultures, this study explores the role of culture in services advertising strategy. Content analysis was used to examine services advertising in the USA and Korea. Findings – The results of a content analysis of over 400 magazine advertisements suggest that advertisers may be able to standardize services advertising in magazines by type of advertising appeal and on specific service quality dimensions. Research limitations/implications – As the service sector continues to grow, future research is needed to compare services advertising for different types of services and in other media. Experimental studies that explicitly examine what types of cues are effective with Korean consumers are needed. Practical implications – Implications for advertisers attempting to reach Korean consumers suggest that, in magazine advertising, rational appeals tend to be considerably more common than emotional appeals. Cues related to reliability and assurance also are used very frequently, suggesting that they may be well received by Korean consumers and thus that they should be used by many services advertisers. However, advertisers must consider the significance of what an Asian factor means for advertising strategy. Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature and provides insights to services providers and advertisers by comparing which advertising appeals and dimensions of service quality are conveyed in services advertising in Korea and the USA and by comparing the advertising strategies with cultural dimensions.