American business curricula, theories, textbooks, and teaching methods have been widely disseminated and copied all over the world. This wholesale acceptance has violated a scientific principle that requires a systematic evaluation and replication to establish the external validity of the theories and concepts in question. This paper discusses the degree of universality of the marketing discipline, concepts, and strategies. In particular, there is a critical examination of the advertising principles commonly found in marketing and advertising textbooks. Based on the validity (or the lack of it) of these principles and assumptions, advertising and research implications are offered.