This paper set out to show pan Asian consumer trend data across FMCG markets and countries by highlighting the fastest growing categories and focusing on the dynamic dairy category across the main markets of Asia. Asian FMCG trends do show both aspects of consistency across the region, regional trends and unique local market trends. At the same time, individual market trends reveal more unique cultural insight into local market changes.
This paper offers a case history on understanding local positioning of an international whisky brand in eight Eastern European countries and how this was adapted in line with global thinking and implemented locally. It covers the key issues and general principles of using local country research to dovetail into global strategy, as well as indicating how the research was actioned. It demonstrates how local data-driven decision-making was used to position the brand within the global context.
Based on a non-deterministic model which implies prolonged processes, incorporates multiple unconventional actors and values progressive strategy building through non-linear trajectories this paper describes transverse approaches and formats of relation and operation for installing locally managed consensual processes. The models central goals are to generate consensual diagnostics, provide continual research-based feedback as a basis for decision-making, define positioning and support strategic planning. This stimulus and guidance of local actors in their strategic decisions requires an interactive and incremental logic deployed through successive approximations.
Based on a non-deterministic model which implies prolonged processes, incorporates multiple unconventional actors and values progressive strategy building through non-linear trajectories this paper describes transverse approaches and formats of relation and operation for installing locally managed consensual processes. The models central goals are to generate consensual diagnostics, provide continual research-based feedback as a basis for decision-making, define positioning and support strategic planning. This stimulus and guidance of local actors in their strategic decisions requires an interactive and incremental logic deployed through successive approximations.
Three considerations of the idea of culture interact to question the inevitability of global brands. Consumer culture, marketing culture and the national cultural values that underpin decision making all have significant implications for multinational corporations. This leads to the conclusion that although all major companies will be marketing internationally and that there will be many genuinely global brands, the majority will not be. The model of the centralised transnational company is founded on a fundamental contradiction which is the need for global cost rationalisation. Local sensitivities to consumer tastes, changes in distribution, new competition and other local activities will require a much stronger local presence than the prototypical transnational corporation typically allows for. Companies need to develop structures that can identify and manage their profitable but few in number international brands, while at the same time responding quickly and sensitively to activities at the local level. The world has not become homogenised as predicted, but rather personalised and customised.
This paper proposes that marketing in different product sectors and in different national cultures changes over time in a consistent and predictable way. The progress from commodity selling to post-modern marketing is based on evolutionary principles.
This paper discusses the imperatives to make innovations work in developing economies. Adapting the product to suit local needs and conditions is a necessary but not sufficient condition for success. The entire offer and the delivery systems have to be reworked rather than a mere tinkering with the product or communication. Large volumes and faster growth is possible only by increasing penetration rather than trading market shares. Research needs to be sensitive to the fact that often the consumer may simply state the problem and not the solution and worse at times may even overtly reject a new concept which may succeed in reality.
This paper examines the role of research in the process of adapting international publishing products to local markets. In this specific case the goal was to adapt a computer magazine that had been successfully launched in Germany to the Spanish market. This paper describes how research contributed to the process. We employed an exhaustive ad hoc research process that combined qualitative and quantitative techniques to reinforce the TRUE and differential essence of the offering and to uncover the attributes most appreciated by consumers. The positive results drawn by the first issues of the magazine support the work performed.
This paper assesses the state of business intelligence and competitive intelligence in Mexico and Latin America and assesses historical and cultural factors that must be addressed specifically in this geographical area.
This paper compares and contrasts consumer usage patterns of the Internet and traditional media across the top fifty markets in the United States. While interest in the Internet is high, most surveys describe the Internet user in general terms. This paper uses a local market database source to examine the differences in Internet access and usage across the varied local markets which comprise the United States, and shows that Internet users concentrate in larger markets where higher income and higher education consumers live, and also in smaller markets with significant high-technology economic, academic and industrial activity.
Recently there has been a great deal of discussion concerning the opposition between local brands associated with specific cultures and global brands destroyers of differences coming to dominate the world. This paper wishes to demonstrate that behind global brands are hidden the most cultural and emotional brands which exist. These brands have achieved their success by respecting all the cultural dimensions. If they continue to be operate effectively it is because of their anchorage in a very cultural existence. Giving an international dimension to a brand certainly means giving it a very clear identity which will make it well-known throughout the world and it also means making the brand itself very accessible so that it touches people emotionally.