A Comparative Study of Cultural Values Embodied in Chinese and American Public Service Advertising

Abstract

Public Service Advertising (PSA) is a member which is relatively special in the advertising industry, but it gains a more and more widespread concern in society. PSA bears the social mission to spread the cultural ideology and guide proper values of the society, which is an integral part in the public media. According to the practical needs of different countries, PSA is also embodied in different cultural values . In this thesis, it focuses on the comparison of American and Chinese PSA from the perspective of cultural values. And it extends a future study on the specific manifestation between Chinese and American PSA in their societies.

PSA in China and America is to serve the society as the highest goal. The similarities of the sense of social responsibility, people-oriented and the advocacy of cardinal virtue exist in both PSA. However, the indeed differences do remain between Chinese and American PSA. Chinese basically good, harmony with nature and collectivism give a clear contrast to American basically evil, mastery over nature and individualism. In addition, self-centre vs. sacrifice, pioneering spirit vs. medium way and humor vs. refinement are also the notable features in Chinese and American PSA.

By comparing cultural values embodied in Chinese and American PSA, it is aimed at supplementing and enriching the study of PSA from the degree of cultural values and provides some assistant and constructive references for the future research，accessing to the ultimate goal of promoting intercultural communication.

Key words: PSA, cultural values, comparison, China and America, cross-cultural communication