DEEP Insight
Tailoring Your Strategy to Fit the Culture 
Global Marketing
Authors: de Mooij, Marieke
Date: Second Quarter 2010
Tags: culture, mission, vision, corporate identity, branding
Many widely accepted management theories related to mission statements, branding and advertising are Western inventions that do not translate when companies go global. What plays well at home may not go down so well in foreign environments. The author recommends that a company conduct a full review of its entire global marketing strategy – from its mission and vision, to its portfolio, positioning and product usage, to its communications and advertising campaigns. Throughout the discussion, she challenges managers to let go of their preconceived ideas and insistence on consistency and standardization, which they may think is being cost-effective, but in reality will never succeed in scratching consumers where they itch. To be truly effective, global marketing strategies must articulate not the culture-bound values of one particular company, but the values of the stakeholders in all of the countries where the company operates. If not, stakeholders elsewhere may have difficulties identifying with the company.
Tools and Frameworks:
> “Five Cultural Dimensions” categorizes national cultures according to five key dimensions, as developed by the Dutch sociologist Geert Hofstede.
> “The Future of Global Strategy” depicts the new paradigm of cultural segmentation, defining markets based on cultural specifics, and then developing culture-fit strategies for each of three key areas: Mission, Vision & Corporate Identity; Branding & Positioning; Communications & Advertising.
Examples Cited:
Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, Nestlé, Heineken, Sony, Mitsubishi, Daewoo, Danone, Toyota, Philips, Coca-Cola
Research Basis:
Based on extensive research and consultancy work of the author, including her books Global Marketing and Advertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes, and Consumer Behavior and Culture: Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising.
About the Author:
Marieke de Mooij is a visiting professor at various universities, including the University of Navarra in Spain.
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