Ethnoadvertising and Imaginary Constructions: Theoretical Approach to an Emerging Concept

In parallel with traditional advertising, a form of communication is developing in Cameroon among consumers of brewing products. Some consumers encourage others to adopt the taste of competing product brands. We will refer to this form of persuasive communication as “ethnoadvertising.” The main issue this article addresses is the dissonance between the costly nature and commercial objectives of traditional advertising and the voluntary nature of ethnoadvertising. Ethnoadvertising is an emerging concept, and the objective of this article is to clarify its contours to refine its perception. In reference to advertising, of which it seems to be an avatar, ethnoadvertising relies on increasing self-esteem to reduce anxiety about death. Its messages emphasize “valued cultural behaviors.” The data collection involved qualitative methods, particularly participant observation related to beer consumption, free interviews, semi-structured interviews in situ, and a questionnaire survey. This research focused on the choice of banks in Cameroon and the consumption of cosmetic goods and baby food products in the DRC. Theoretically, Shannon and Weaver’s linear model helps us understand ethnoadvertising as communication between receivers in the informational process of classical advertising. While traditional advertising involves a straightforward transmission of the advertiser’s messages to target audiences, ethnoadvertising is an exchange of messages among consumers who are also the targets of traditional advertising messages. Ethnoadvertising resembles classical advertising in its persuasive aspect but fundamentally differs in the reflexivity of its messages, making it a communication process, while classic advertising is informational. Unlike traditional advertising, which mainly uses media, ethnoadvertising is direct epistolary communication. Additionally, ethnoadvertising occurs only in a community context, potentially opening it up to media use, particularly on social networks.