The Global Marketing Challenge

Recently I've participated in an interesting discussion with fellow marketers.Working in different industries, large corporations and start ups, we all share the same challenge to streamline our global marketing efforts. What is the role of corporate vs. regional marketing? Should we have one global brand vs. multiple regional brands? Are digital efforts managed on a global or regional level?

Here are my 5 tips for successful cooperation in key marketing domains:

1. Brand - define clear corporate brand guidelines explaining which elements should be preserved globally and which can be adapted on a regional basis. While you may want to keep the same logo and brand name across regions, it makes sense to allow flexibility with the visuals, permitting each region to deploy visuals that work best for their market.
2. Marketing planning - create a corporate marketing outline of your marketing plans and share it with the regions. Some regions will adopt it as is, others might want to adjust it to their needs. Align with the region on roles and responsibilities to understand which activities will be performed globally and which locally.
3. Web assets- create one corporate website with regional adaptations according to the local language and activities they want to promote.
4. Social media- concentrate your efforts on one global channel per each media outlet. Use advanced social media solutions like Facebook Global page to offer localized content, while amplifying the power of your brand. Utilize smart social media management tools to streamline efforts of multiple contributors.
5. Trade shows- provide the regions with corporate theme that they can adopt to their market. Many trade shows are international and people are traveling from all around the world to visit them. Thus providing a corporate theme and design guidelines are very important.

Clear guidelines, regional flexibility and alignment on both sides are key for enhanced compliance and successful collaboration.

Do you agree with this approach? What are your tips for successful global marketing effort? Feel free to share your thoughts and reach out for any questions that you might have.

Good luck!

Olga