GLOBAL MARKETING
The internet has made the world smaller, which is why it might be a good idea to consider implementing a good global marketing strategy. Global marketing is not just about selling your products worldwide, instead it is about spreading brand awareness worldwide and having a solid plan on how to best promote your company in the different regions of the world.
Often the process of expanding globally is quite gradual. First it is important to focus on the local market, and then start including shipping internationally. After learning about how your products are received in other countries, you can start adapting your products and promotions if necessary. After that you can start expanding to other countries. In most countries it is most beneficial to first expand to the countries that has the most similar culture to your local market, and then continue from there.
Different countries have different cultures and values, and it is important to be aware of this when communicating online. Be aware of your standard messages, and make slight alterations if necessary depending on the culture. When expanding to a new country, it might be a good idea to develop partnerships with local businesses that know the market. However, it is important to be aware of the fact that this can lead to your brand becoming a bit diluted.
It is important that even though you are expanding globally that your brand remains consistent and recognisable no matter the country. Today with the internet allowing you to share so much information it is important that you stand by the values of your company. Be especially aware of this when you do adapt to the different countries. If you completely go against your brand identity and values it will most likely do more harm than good.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Expanding internationally can give your company many new and exciting opportunities. You can build partnerships around the globe and collaborate with local businesses to increase efficiency, and expand your market share. It will also help you grow you customer base and brand reputation.
CUT COST
Another beneficial aspect of having a global marketing strategy, is that it can actually help you save money. This might sound strange, but due to the Internet a global marketing campaign does not have to become expensive. Investing a bit more money into a campaign that is global instead of local can therefore really pay off as you reach a much bigger scale of people. With an increase in production to meet all the new international demands, you will be able to lower the cost when producing multiple products, which again will give you a competitive advantage.
GLOBAL MARKETING
BENEFITS
HIGHER EFFICIENCY & COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
As you grow and learn, the more effective you can become when producing or promoting a new product or service. Having a brand that competes Internationally can give you an advantage in the local market as well. If your competitors are not able to enter the global market, you can become a stronger and more recognisable brand within your field than the competition.
GLOBAL MARKETING
STRATEGIES
KNOW THE MARKET
It is important that you learn about the culture and norms of the different countries. A good idea might therefore be to actually send some of your employees to the country to experience it first hand, talk to local businesses for advice and report back. It is also important to find out what way people prefer being contacted and what social media platforms that are the most popular. Another great way to collect information is through questionnaires and surveys.
TRAVEL RETAIL
If you want to expand globally, consider becoming a part of the Travel Retail Market. This is a great way to spread brand awareness to several countries quickly. This can be done for example through opening a shop or pop-up at an airport, train station or through collaborating with hotels.
CREATE A PLAN
When you have gained a fair amount of knowledge about the global market, you can start to draw up a well- developed marketing plan that is consistent, and at the same time slightly customized according to the insights you have gained about the different markets.
TAILOR TO EACH COUNTRY
Add different language options to your website. In addition, be aware of the different cultural references, holidays and events. Knowing about these things can make it easier to create a more personalised experience.
BE BOTH GLOBAL & LOCAL
Some areas like branding, large-scale marketing campaigns, global PR, social media guidelines and strategies should be managed at a global level. Other areas are on the other hand best managed locally, such as more tailored campaigns, local events, and the local social media channels. By having some parts of your marketing managed globally and some locally, you create both consistent and tailored content. Do not be afraid of delegating authority and trusting the local offices or departments.
GLOBAL MARKETING
BMW
When it comes to global marketing, BMW does not move away from their strong focus of reaching consumers with a high standard for quality, luxury and performance. It therefore, even on a global scale, concentrates on specific segments.BMW changed it global slogan from «the ultimate driving machine» to «sheer driving pleasure», which represents a movement from the strong focus on the car’s performance, to the customer’s experience. The strategy of BMW is therefore to lean into a more emotional sensual marketing communication. It connects the enjoyment of driving a luxury car with emotional experiences. In addition to this BMW is aware of differences between the countries, and therefore knows that a strong worldwide brand identity does not necessarily mean that the marketing strategies will be successful in the different local market. hence, BMW has a strong focus on a marketing strategy system called global branding and localised marketing.
When comparing adverts from Europe and America to the adverts displayed in Asia it is possible to see how BMW seems to put the emphasis seems to on the same thing : the feeling of driving the car. However this is shown through different things. In the west this feeling is being connected to the superiority of design and technology with an emphasis on luxury. Whilst in the east it is being connected to spirituality, nature, community, and being in the moment. BMW therefore very cleverly uses the values that will increase social status in the different cultures and connects it to the car.
GLOBAL MARKETING
RITUALS
Cloosterman had a goal of making his brand a global brand, and therefore decided to take advantage of the opportunities available in travel retail. Rituals therefore opened standalone airport shops, which allows the company to spread brand awareness internationally, in an effective way, as well as let people from all over the world experience their philosophy through de-stressing with a bit of pampering. Rituals can also be found in 25 000 hotel rooms all over the world, helping the brand develop a stronger presence, as well as it helps connect the brand to luxury and relaxation.
In 2016, during the biggest gift buying and gift giving period, Rituals decided to create an experience for London commuters. At King’s Cross Station, Rituals installed a festive soundtrack and started handing out free samples of their products to make the journey more pleasurable. The goal was to introduce Rituals philosophy of slowing down to high paced London. Posters where also put up in the tunnels introducing the Tradition of Giving; «only by giving do we receive more than we already have. Because when we give from the heart, the joy of giving becomes its own reward». Choosing a central London Station for such a promotion also allowed rituals to reach not only londoners, but also tourists visiting, and therefore further create an international brand awareness.
Rituals have also promoted their products through being featured in a gift bag at numerous award shows such as the Golden Globes and Accessories Council Excellence Awards. The awards are particularly effective for raising brand experience because they are able to reach key influencers in the entertainment industry.
Rituals have however faced some marketing challenges. In 2018 they got accused for cultural appropriation when using white models in several different cultural and traditional asian dress settings. Several people called out the brand and argued that they were taking advantage of a culture that does not belong to them in order to promote products. On social media Rituals was heavily critiqued for using asian traditions, philosophies etc to sell products and at the same time not finding asian models worth working with. Rituals responded by explaining that their intention is never to insult the traditions that they very much respect. That their goal is to inspire customers to create more meaningful rituals. However, Rituals have failed to comment further on the subject of cultural appropriation.
GLOBAL MARKETING
NETFLIX
When Netflix started to expand beyond the US, it used a very traditional global marketing strategy. Netflix started its international expansion with Canada, a country that is located close to the US, has a similar culture, and therefore less challenges when it comes to foreignness. The next phase was a lot faster and extensive, where it expanded to around 50 countries. The countries were carefully chosen based on similarities, the availability of a broadband internet, and the presence of affluent users. After gaining experience from this expansion, Netflix introduced itself to 190 countries, and used the lessons learned to understand what marketing strategy people were more likely to respond to. Netflix has also had a big focus on adding more languages, and produce local content. The local content was not seen as local for local but also as local for global. In other words, Netflix aimed to create local content that could attract audience beyond borders.
When expanding globally, Netflix made sure to form beneficial partnerships that would case a win-win situation. In some places, it teamed up with telecommunication companies and cable companies, to make the content a part of the existing offerings. One example of this is in Ireland, when Vodafone launched a TV service and a Netflix button was added to the remote control.