Most large brands have an international presence, often spanning multiple continents, languages, and ways of conducting business. As a result, organizations must be willing to market their brand in different ways based on the significant cultural differences that can exist – what is appropriate to say or do in one country can be seen as uncouth in another. To avoid any pitfalls, marketers must carefully consider how to navigate their brand across borders.
When considering how to enter a new market, it is important to have a well thought out strategy that informs the decisions that are made. Extensive market and consumer research prior to launch is a critical first step for success. Having a full understanding of a new market’s people, culture, and laws is a must for presenting a brand to a new populace. Ethnographies, an old-school, but proven technique, are still one of the best ways to know the market’s consumers. Observing, analyzing, and recording people in spaces where they feel most comfortable yield insights into assumptions, attitudes, values, and belief systems – often in ways that the interviewee is not even aware of. Ultimately, ethnographic work helps marketers gain insights that may not have been ascertained through other processes, such as a focus group at a regional office.
In addition to understanding the local consumer, another key step is to understand the competitive landscape. Here at BTP Unite, we often perform extensive analyses for brands to obtain a better understanding of the category and how consumers interact with competitors. Doing so helps understand the white space in the market and effectively position a new product or service to fill it. There is no excuse for not doing a proper competitive analysis – there is readily available free online information and many cost-efficient paid tools to obtain the necessary intel. Testing and optimizing positioning concepts is also an easy, cost-effective final step once a brand understands the consumer and the competitive landscape in a new market.
After a brand has done its homework and dives into the market, there are some proven marketing tactics to consider for connecting the brand with the local culture. One significant option is to engage local talent; a brand might hire a local celebrity or influencer to promote their product through various media. For example, Nike has utilized influencers in coordination with an effort to organize training sessions and events. Targeting the fitness “mini culture” allows those with an affinity for exercise to engage with each other and the brand on a deeper level. In the process, Nike was able to effectively position themselves to this group as an expert and developed a significant amount of goodwill in the process.
Another significant tactic is to align a brand’s image with the values of the culture in the target area. One interesting example is the success of campaigns involving the NBA’s Shane Battier. Battier was a role player for much of his career, joining the Houston Rockets and their star center Yao Ming before the 2006-07 season. As one of the first Chinese players to compete in the NBA, intense global attention was placed on Ming, the Rockets and, by extension, Battier. To capitalize on this, Chinese shoe manufacturer Peak made Battier their international spokesperson. In doing so, he became the first NBA player to work with the brand and allowed the brand to connect more effectively with Chinese consumers, despite the fact that Battier is from the United States. The choice of Battier was particularly valuable to Peak in that Battier, in contrast to some NBA stars, was known for his work ethic and being a team player, qualities that are highly valued in Chinese society.
Another important cultural consideration is color – even though it can seem rather insignificant at first glance. Whether it’s the packaging or the imagery used in promoting the brand, or even the text of the brand name itself, colors can make or break the success of the product. Green, for example, has very different meanings throughout the world. In Western cultures, green is often associated with luck. In many countries in South America, however, it is associated with death. Red, on the other hand, is associated with excitement and danger in western countries, whereas it is viewed in correlation with luck and happiness in China. Knowing significant differences such as these is important in being able to effectively grow your brand.
The list of smart localized marketing examples is long – but so is the list of cultural missteps. Ultimately, in this era of ever-more targeted marketing initiatives, brands must do their strategic homework and understand how to best tailor local marketing efforts to broaden their reach and appeal.
Navigating Global Cultural Differences
