ADVERTISING IN EASTERN EUROPE This research exami

THE BACKGROUND OF CHANGE FOR ADVERTISINGIN EASTERN EUROPE

That advertising may occur on a large scale in Eastern Europe in the 1990s is a function of the collapse of most of the Communist dominated governments in that region, and, in the case of the Soviet Union, to a liberalized approach to the function of marketing. That advertising will occur on a large scale in Eastern Europe in the 1990s will largely be a function of the successful transition of Eastern European governments from oneparty rule to pluralistic democracy, and upon the successful transition of Eastern European economies from centrally planned regimes to market driven regimes.

The latesummer of 1989 witnessed the beginning of a most dramatic and rapid change in most socialist bloc countries in Eastern Europe. The western press, ever adversarial, covered the events as if they were a supreme sporting event, such as the Davis Cup, wherein one system is about to be vanquished by another. The Associated Press proclaimed "Going, going . . . . . . Communism almost gone."1 In all probability, the press

1JF. Revel, "Going, going . . . . . . . C

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han 70 years in the Soviet Union, citizens have become accustomed to highly disciplined, orderly societies. Regardless of the fact that the discipline and order was imposed, the potential for upheaval and chaos poses a threat to many people in these states. A failure of political and economic reform to lead to anticipated, positive political and economic results could create conditions so unsettled that citizens would demand a return to order, even if that meant a return to oneparty rule. It is this situation which provides both a great opportunity and a significant threat to western advertisers hoping to succeed in Eastern Europe. EARLY ADVERTISING EFFORTS IN EASTERN EUROPE When CocaCola and Pepsi Cola gained limited franchise rights to produce and market their products in the Soviet Union, they also gained very limited rights to advertise their products. The advertising for these products which was permitted in the early and mid1980s would hardly be recognizable as advertising to most western consumers. Thus, while advertising in Eastern Europe did not commence with the collapse of the communist governments in Eastern Europe, the major interest of western advertisers and advertising agencies in the Eastern Europe pot
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Eastern European, Eastern Europe, Advertising Age, Soviet Union, Business Marketing, York Times, Communist Party, eastern europe, Associated Press, Eastern Europeans, Proctor Gamble, eastern european, advertising age, advertising age 61, age 61, advertising agencies, soviet union, europe advertising, socialist bloc, , advertising eastern, eastern europe advertising, eastern european socialist, advertising eastern europe, europe advertising age,
Approximate Word count = 1847
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)