This is an excerpt of the full article by Bruno Herrmann,  Director of Globalization at The Nielsen Company, published in the Brand Quarterly & Brand2Global ‘Global Marketing’ Special Edition.


Brand Quarterly Global Marketing Special Edition

“The rest of the world” has to become “most of the world” in today’s global marketing mindsets and practices!

Another executive statement that is easier said than done…

For global audiences, the world is a global village.  For globalizing clients it is a global marketplace.  For globalizing companies, it is a global opportunity.  For all these players, global customer experience is common ground as it creates value for companies, clients and prospects during their mobile, web and social activities; and in their shopper appetite for applications, products or entertainment online.

These facts might lead some global marketing leaders and practitioners to see associated requirements and challenges as straightforward or, even riskier, candidates for oversimplification.  That is why reality checks may hurt along the way to digital globalization, which is built on strong brand equity and uncompromised customer centricity around the world.

Here are some observations “from the trenches” that may help open eyes, increase awareness and hopefully guide your efforts in global content and brand effectiveness.

Conceptually, the path to global marketing success cannot be flatter than the world itself.  Therefore, it is crucial to get to know your audiences and understand where they live and breathe or how they behave in various environments.  Business performance globally is deeply rooted in effective customer experience locally.  And local experience is strongly influenced by what people do, like, prefer and expect even prior to watching, considering and purchasing anything.  In other words, customer experience starts way before making content available in multiple markets.

Factors to incorporate in audience profiles (aka personas) include cultural sensitivity, linguistic requirements and preferences, business and individual practices, legal and technical frameworks among other things.  Such profiles are as valuable as stereotypes are useless.  So, addressing these dependencies upfront make global brands more impactful, global content more world ready and global growth more sustainable eventually.

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You can read the full article online at BrandQuarterly.com as an individual website article or check out this and much more great content in the Brand Quarterly & Brand2Global ‘Global Marketing’ Special Edition.