The advertising standardisation debate revisited: implications of Islamic ethics on standardisation/localisation of advertising in Middle East Islamic States

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between previous examinations of advertising standardisation and consideration of Islamic ethics in order to develop a better understanding of how Islamic values influence global advertising strategy.

Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a critical review of the literature. The paper presents a conceptual framework which considers both the environmental influences and Islamic ethics which need to be considered when developing advertising strategy in Middle East Islamic States.

Findings – The authors assert the importance of considering Islamic ethics when planning advertising in the Islamic Middle East. In particular six dominant ethical dimensions are provided for marketing scholars and practitioners to observe: Unity (Tawheed); Iman (faith) Khilafah (trusteeship); Balance; Justice or Adl; Free will.

Research limitations/implications – The conceptual model presented provides a useful starting point to generate further academic debate and empirical verification.

Originality/value - The paper extends our understanding of the influence of Islamic ethics on advertising and contributes to the wider marketing standardisation literature by considering religion as a key driver in the debate.