Abstract:

This paper describes the contribution of multi-country market research studies to the development and implementation of a pan-European marketing strategy for a major international high technology firm. Previously, this firm had utilized a decentralized approach to marketing its products. Each country developed and implemented its own marketing and advertising campaigns, providing a local "flavour" that presumably meshed with local needs and interests. Clearly, if a pan-European marketing approach could be developed, there would be enormous economic benefits from the economies of scale deriving from centralised management and operations. The client looked toward marketing research first to determine if there were substantial commonalities in needs and perceptions across countries that could be leveraged to its advantage; and then to evaluate the relative potential of alternative campaigns communicating the desired marketing message. Utilizing the SUMM® and Ad-STEP® techniques, a successful pan-European strategy and an effective execution of that strategy was located.