Ten
Commandments of Global Branding
Research
the Global Branding Marketplace
The global market is made
up of many, often vastly different, countries and regions. At the
same time some of these countries and regions may share similarities.
It is important to investigate the laws, consumer demand and
financial guidelines of each potential market so that you enter with
the proper marketing approach and expectations.
Never
Take Shortcuts
Take nothing for granted
in your research or your marketing development if you wish to avoid
future problems. Translating the same message into local languages
for all markets can be a potentially harmful shortcut. Subtle
differences in meaning and symbolism can result in vastly different
results. Another hazardous shortcut to avoid is assuming that the
success of one brand will mean the success of another. Each product
and company must be established from the ground up in every location
where it will be marketed.
Create
a Solid Infrastructure
Advertising campaigns and
infrastructure should be designed to suit each country or region.
While some parts of the model may be transferable from one location
to the next, most times there will be differences in practices or
goals. It is a mistake to expect similar results across the board.
For example, street advertisements in some European countries such as
Italy or France are less likely to be viewed during the month of July
when nearly the entire nation heads out on vacation. As a result your
ad buys and target sales should be lower than usual during the summer
months.
Employ
an Integrated Marketing Communication System
Combine traditional
advertising with non-traditional methods of communicating the brand
message. Local radio and television appearances, sponsored events,
social networks, features in local publications and guerrilla
marketing are all effective ways of getting the word out.
Create Partnerships
Between Brands
Sharing the marketing
expenses and logistical infrastructure with another global or local
brand can be a great way to cut costs, lighten the workload and find
a way into the market you desire to reach. Select your partners
carefully so that no one brand cannibalises the market as you move
forward. For example, a sporting goods retailer may partner with a
popular area team while avoiding other clothing outlets that might
sell some of the same items
Keep Standardisation
and Customisation in Balance
While it is important to
keep your company logo and appearance the same so it is recognised by
consumers worldwide, it is also important to understand differences
in culture and language so your message gets through loud and clear.
For example, the colour purple may be viewed as a symbol of death by
people in some Spanish-speaking countries, while it is without
meaning in most others. Thus, if your brand's logo is purple, you may
want to make some modifications before reaching out to certain
Spanish-speaking markets.
Keep Local and Global
Controls in Balance
Although branding may be
managed from your company headquarters, it is important to have
people on the ground who understand the local situation. The
decision-making process should be balanced between these two elements
with final sign-off residing in headquarters and local experts
providing guidance
Create a System of
Functional Guidelines
A set of steadfast
marketing rules and restrictions should be provided by the main
office and distributed to all local parties. Such guidelines can help
to eliminate unnecessary back and forth by creating a standard to be
followed.
Create a System of
Global Brand Equity
Monitor the global
position of your brand carefully. Knowing the overall value of the
brand helps marketing professionals to determine what tactics and how
much market saturation is necessary to meet company goals. For
example, if sales numbers drop in one part of the world due to
political unrest or a natural disaster, the difference can sometimes
be made up elsewhere in an emerging market or a high-performing
region if the proper marketing is put in place coupled with
promotional deals and extra ad buys.
Use the Brand to
Leverage Results
Create unique and
attractive logos and packaging for your global brand. Distribute your
brand icons widely and with discretion to reach the desired audience
and create the desired associations. Once established your brand
images can be the most important element of the business.
