Developing a global brand strategy
Should you have one global brand? Or should you develop brands for each market you operate it? Do you need multiple brands for different price pointed products?
Choosing the best brand strategy can be complicated. Market research can help you determine the most appropriate branding approach. Be aware that managing different brands can be expensive.
When defining brand values, think about your overseas customers – what do they want? Match your brand values to customer requirements, aspirations and values.
Make sure you are able to deliver what your brand promises.
Brand messaging
Branding is more than just a logo or trademark. It represents the core values of your business, your reputation and how customers perceive and respond to your business.
Identify what you are good at and ensure this is reflected in your branding. What are your ‘brand values’? Is your marketing aligned with these values?
Brand values might be:
- convenience
- fun
- high quality
- cutting edge technology
- value for money.
Make sure your values are reflected in your branding.
Communicate the brand values to your employees through direct means and by the way you run your business. This way they will understand and 'feel' your branding strategy. This is particularly important for customer facing employees who will need to ensure that they ‘live’ your brand values.
Brand messages need to be consistent across all mediums, this includes:
- packaging
- employee selection and retention
- service style
- signage
- marketing strategies
- the style of messages on your telephone system
- online presence.
Take the time to get it right and stand out from the crowd.
International considerations for branding
Language and culture represent unique challenges for the creation and marketing of brands. Carefully research a brand name before launching it into the market. Check that the colours and imagery you use don’t have any significance in the local culture. There has been more than one instance where a brand name has an unintended meaning in a foreign country – much to the embarrassment of the owners of the brand.
The irreverent branding style often used in the New Zealand market may not translate well into other cultures. If in doubt, start more conservatively.
Some examples of international branding problems include:
- A car manufacturer that discovered the name of its latest car model was an offensive word in Spanish.
- A baby food producer, unaware of the African custom of putting a picture of the product on the packaging, put a picture of a baby on their can.
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