TOPIC 1: Customizing Global Marketing – a matter of degree
Basic
marketing principles as we learned in MRKT 310 such as segmentation,
targeting, differentiation, positioning and marketing mix (product,
price, place, and promotion) remain constants in any marketing situation
— that is why they are called principles. However, the application of
those principles of marketing can vary from country to country. The
more the product is global on the continuum the more standardized those
marketing strategic decisions become.
Let’s
take the example of Dove Soap, a product which is considered a very
popular good here in the U.S. It is a mass-marketed product. But, in
some underdeveloped countries soap is considered an expensive luxury and
therefore is marketed to middle income and higher-income consumers. On
the other hand, Camry, a product that is almost 100 years old, is sold
in the US as a soap for beautiful women, but it is sold in some
underdeveloped countries as a product with significant skincare
benefits, similar to expensive moisturizers in the US. So, those
products have different target markets with different value
propositions, different pricing structures, different marketing
communications. Yet, it’s the same product.
YOUR TASK:
Select a product you buy and use frequently, and make your best
assessment of the product’s target market, the way the manufacturer
differentiates it, and how it is positioned in your home country.
Explain how you would market the product in an underdeveloped country
of your choice. You might want to look up some of the characteristics
of the selected country for more information on that country. The link The World Factbook – The World Factbook (cia.gov) will take you to the CIA World Factbook, a good source of economic and political information about every country in the world.
TOPIC 2: What makes a successful global brand?
The
global brand consultancy Interbrand, which publishes the annual Best
Global Brands, highlights ten internal and external factors that lead to
global brand success.
Those factors are:
Internal Factors
1. Direction – a clear purpose for the brand with a defined culture and values, as well a plan to deliver
2. Empathy – the degree to which the brand is in tune with customers’ & stakeholders’ needs, beliefs & desires
3. Alignment – the degree to which the whole organization is pulling in the same direction on strategy
4. Agility – speed to market in the face of opportunity or challenge
External Factors
- Distinctiveness – uniquely ownable assets and experiences, difficult to replicate, remembered by customers
- Participation – the degree to which the brand draws in customers and partners creating a sense of dialogue, involvement, collaboration
- Coherence – the degree to which the customer’s interactions remain authentic to the brand’s narrative and feel
- Presence – the degree to which the brand feels omnipresent to relevant audiences in a positive way
- Affinity – the degree to which customers feel a positive connection to the brand based on functional and emotional benefits
- Trust – the extent to which the brand delivers on high customer expectations and is perceived to act with integrity
Adapted from Best global brands methodology. (2020). https://interbrand.com/thinking/best-global-brands-2020-methodology/
Check out the full descriptions for each of these factors at https://interbrand.com/thinking/best-global-brands-2020-methodology/
- Apply at least two internal factors and two external factors to the Costa Coffee brand.
- Does Costa Coffee fit the Interbrand definition of a global brand?
- Where does it have gaps and what would it need to do to get there?
Cite the case narrative and any additional research you have done as your evidence.
