Product Categories - Culture Driven or Product Driven?

Very similar to my last post, I would like to take a look at some product categories and see if ther are similarities among cultures in the advertisements. Are they culture driven or product driven?

Here are two ads for 3 different countries. I will examine two separate product categories for analysis.

Cars

USA > http://www.youtube.com/user/thanasiskaplanis?feature=results_main

France > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5BPhQ-xkek

Canada > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72t0uld3XyE

In the USA ad, it is showing effinciency and the high quality of the product, also the price. France however shows a more humorous crack at the features of the car. And the last commercial which Canada used, was a bit odd, but it focused on the body and how it fits you better than other cars. These ads show that the actual product is important, but the means of selling it are different. Therefore, from these ads, I am given the impression that culture drives the advertising, not the product. People are different in understanding and wanting and needing. The culture they are raised in is what they are comfortable with, therefore car companies take notice and use this towards theri advantage in ads.

Beer

USA > http://www.youtube.com/user/redstripebeer?v=dUWkaP2coEQ

Spain > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BrgBEl6raw

Germany > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI3OBtiwRRk

In these ads, there is a very similar aspect as in the cars. The product is beer. In each ad, there are different means of advertising. The US ad for example and German example use humor whereas the Spanish ad uses two NBA basketball players, who happen to be brothers. There is a feeling of togetherness and quality coming from that ad, whereas from the humourous ads, it is a sense of masculinity and independence.

As we can see, advertising is not simply product driven. Yes, while some products may be universally the same, the means of getting people to consume them is different. As explained in my previous post, different cultures around the world make way for different environments, which create different needs for everyone. With different needs, companies need to focus on specifying ads to fit the cultures so that they can make sure they are reaching and making an impact on the consumers. Therefore, my conclusion is that product remain culture drive across the board of product categories throughout different countries.