Global Standards of Marketing Communication

Why is Global Standardization important in the first place? Sure, people are people everywhere, and that's not going to change. But, what is important to note is a thing called 'Culture'. Haven't you heard Peter Ducker's famous quote, "Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast"? He is correct in stating that.?

A culture is, after all, a set of shared assumptions and behaviors. Marketing communication is not about targeting people; it is about targeting those behaviors.?

Even global brands like Coca-Cola and KFC have created a confusion in the market, as seen in China, a country that is so unique. For example, when Coca-Cola attempted to translate the word 'Coca Cola' into Mandarin, it connoted "Bite the Wax tadpole". Similarly, KFC's tagline "Finger Lickin Good" translated to Mandarin is "We'll Eat Your Fingers Off."?

So, if you are a business, the critical component is promoting and selling your product. It is thus imperative to formulate a marketing communication strategy which is robust and result-driven, especially when the business intends to sell the product in international markets. In addition, a company would want to apply the global standard practice to reap higher investment returns.

Returning to the question, What are the Global Standards of Marketing Communication? Global Standardization is a set of norms to follow that can help cater to the different cultures and countries across the globe. Now, how do we do that? By making use of the 7 Ps of Marketing.?

1. People: Understanding the region's culture and what makes them behave in a particular manner. Behavior drives the purchase of a product.
2. Product:?Customize your product so that it solves a need. Make consumers desire the product.
3. Price:?If you are already operating in a particular market, it is improbable that you will change this strategy. You cannot be premium in one market and economically friendly in another.
4. Place:?Defining where your product will be available. Many brands have opened brick-and-mortar stores to support their online business in the recent past.
5. Positioning:?There is no second chance if the business fails to communicate its offering the first time. The second attempt is always very costly, with no guaranteed results. The key is to highlight?Relevance,?Value and Differentiation?compared to other products available in the market.
6. Packaging:?Does the packaging appeal to the local taste? Some cultures are averse to specific colors as they hold strong beliefs. For example, in Asia part of the world, the color red symbolizes Joy, Happiness and Celebration. The same color will be looked at differently in the Middle East.
7. Promotion:?Different mediums are consumed differently across international markets. To target your audiences, it is essential to arrive at the right media mix.

How well you understand your audience binds the above principles together. In achieving Global Standardization, the key to survival is to keep asking pertinent questions about my audience's needs, wants, and desires and to understand their pain points.

Getting answers to these questions is vital in laying out the communication blueprint for Global Standardization. The focus should be on long-term strategy rather than on short-term goals.

If we have to put all this in simple terms, companies focusing on PEOPLE, PLANET AND PROFIT, in that order, tend to be more successful with practical & effective Global Standards in communications.

Mohan Shetty

Associate Vice President

Dentsu M21

Part of Dentsu International