Brands in a global market
As technology helps our world get smaller it is increasing challenging for companies to market themselves to a global audience with one brand story. Attempting to do so means the story needs to fit all cultures in a homogeneous fashion. The brand ends up diluted.
Every picture tells a story
Many construction, engineering and architecture firms solve this problem by telling their story with pictures. After all, those pictures are worth a thousand words. Capability, experience and design excellence are easily captured in one snapshot. Everyone around the world can appreciate the complexities that have been overcome and the level of coordination required to engineer the spaces we fill.
But what is the story?
So much passion, energy, revision and revision went into the creation of this thing. However, the technical precision of an engineering masterpiece is quickly dirtied by fingerprints. Before the muddy boots of winter come traipsing in we had better take that snapshot and remember the perfection that was created.
And so the moment gets captured, but does the story really get told? What about the heartbeat and the energy that give purpose to that thing?
Now we're back to that story that can't be told with regional emphasis in fear of being inappropriate in another setting. So the shutter keeps clicking and the pictures keep collecting. And the brand becomes faceless and the
company becomes imperial.
What can be done?
Obviously there is a solution here and it involves an approach that gives unique attention to regional differences, brand purpose, good design and the delivery of the message using technology that is cost effective. Even for small companies this can be remarkably easy with the right guidance.
Author:Scott Snowden
Business & Technology, Strategy