Coca-Co-Language: Researching the Difference between a Dutch and an English Version of a Coca-Cola Commercial in Terms of Effectiveness on Dutch Viewers

Abstract

Commercials are some of the most important marketing tools nowadays. This research looks into the effectiveness of English language in commercials on Dutch viewers by comparing an English and Dutch version of a commercial by Coca-Cola and exploring the difference in effectiveness. Previous researchers have studied the influence of English commercials on Dutch viewers without comparing the commercials to the same commercial in Dutch, so this study contributes a new approach to the field. The difference in effectiveness was measured through experimental research with a between subjects design. 63 Dutch participants between 18 and 26 years old took part in this research. They answered a survey which measured the commercial’s effectiveness. Effectiveness was measured through cognitive, affective and conative aspects. The results of the survey were analysed with IBM SPSS Statistics 24. This study identifies a difference in effectiveness between the Dutch and the English commercial. Dutch viewers have higher affective reactions to the product. However, since merely one of the indicators of effectiveness differs, further research needs to be done for the nature of difference. Language choice in commercials is based on association between language and product, linguistic reasons, and marketing-related reasons. Based on this study, Coca-Cola would be advised to use English commercials in the Netherlands since all the three aspects influencing language choice point towards English: English is more effective, cheaper, has linguistic benefits, and the symbolic function of English better agrees with Coca-Cola’s image than Dutch. Further research could investigate whether the results would be similar with a larger, more diverse group of participants and whether the same results would show up with other commercials.