Cross-cultural marketing
Welcome to our Blog. We’re working on creating interesting and thoughtful views of cross-cultural marketing, international branding and other topics that warm our multi-lingual hearts. We may avoid the obvious (like cliches and idioms that don’t translate well) and focus on more in-depth ideas. The whys and whens of localizing a campaign, the how-tos of using social media in a global world, the tried-and-true methods by which every culture stakes their claim, and when branding needs more than a famous name. We’re open to discussing it all. Come and join us as we do.
Filed under: Cross-cultural | Leave a Comment
Tags: cross-cultural marketing, International Branding
A recent “on the street” interview from iMedia Connection brings up a couple of interesting points that may resonate with international marketing agencies trying to keep up with the changes in the marketing industry. Agencies are seeing a shift not only in the kind of work being done, but also fundamental changes in the way agencies are structured as well. Some of our own E3 agencies have restructured and launched new services as a result of these changes.
The question asked by Adam Broitman in the iMedia Summit, was “What is the biggest challenge facing digital agencies?” Many of you may relate to some of the answers, in particular the concern about being able to staff enough to keep up with latest trends. How are you dealing with it? Are you adding staff to accommodate social media and digital trends, or expecting current staff to keep up with the latest knowledge and/or work longer hours? It is an interesting point.
You may also relate to the need for agencies to “lead the charge” with brand or organizational changes. Has your agency been charged with helping clients reorganize their offering or brands to make social media or digital plans integral to the organization from the ground up. The trend for more agencies to become strategy consultants for digital needs and marketing could change the way agencies structure themselves, and their service fees. Could the knowledge become more important than the billable hours?
What do you think? Watch the video and let us know what you think.
Watch as iMedia's marketer on the street investigates the biggest challenges threatening digital agencies today.
Filed under: Advertising Management, Digital, Leadership | Leave a Comment
Tags: changes, digital marketing, strategy consulting
China and other fast-growing economies in the Far East are becoming lands of opportunity to an increasing number of Western marketing communications agencies whose clients are facing the worst local markets in decades. What should be taken into account in agencies with clients looking to expand to China?
First of all, it would be good to control expectations and try to understand the reality on the ground in China. While the upside potential is undeniable, it takes time, patience, as well as smart planning and execution.
Clients looking for a fast return in the first few quarters often fail. Focusing on one key starter project seems to be the best way to ‘enter’ China. Long-term brand building and doing things incrementally will pay off later.
Tips for selecting a partner
When selecting a partner agency established in China to help with marketing campaigns, a couple of tips might be useful.
- For B2B businesses there may not be a perfect match agency who is working the same industry. So, rather work on a project with an agency that is flexible and has general marketing knowledge across related sectors.
- It is important to realize that Hong Kong and the mainland (Shanghai, Beijing, etc) are still quite distinct and agencies generally work well on one side or another. Besides that, the usual caveats apply that would be applicable to any agency search in Europe or the US.
- China certainly is not an easy market to enter. From the Chinese name of the brand, to the colors in the logo, to the website design that may turn off the target customer, there are a lot of potential pitfalls that a locally-based agency can help circumnavigate. A good China agency should be able to work closely with the lead agency to maintain the brand, but enable it with “Chinese characteristics”.
Submitted by Heikki Hakala, Executive Adviser at Recommended Finland
(Heikki Hakala, Executive Adviser at Recommended Finland, recently visited China and met with Mike Golden, Managing Director of Adsmith China. The two agencies have entered into a partnership on several Recommended Finland projects. Golden offered some advice for agencies wanting to enter the market in China.)
Filed under: B2B, Cross-cultural, International Media | Leave a Comment
Tags: asia, asian advertising agencies, asian marketing, china, international marketing
If you watch the popular ’60s era TV show “Mad Men,” you may recognize some of the personality types portrayed there from your own agency. Every agency must have a Duck, a Don and a Peggy, right?
Don Draper from the TV series Mad Men
In a
recent article for iMedia Connection, Daniel Flamberg describes 5 “larger than life personalities” that you may recognize in your own agency as well.
Consider these types:
- Rainmaker - They drive the ad business. They have or make the contacts, instantly understand the clients’ business, and are master salespeople.
- The Empty Suit - The wannabe rainmakers with style and flash but no substance who are frequently friends or relatives of the higher-ups.
- The Magician – The talented art director, copy writer or strategist who provides the spark behind every idea or campaign.
- The Expert – The specialist with intense and deep knowledge of their subject that value their skills above all else.
- The Pleaser - Always pleasant and upbeat, the pleaser (often female) is happy to do whatever is asked and provides much of the energy that keeps the agency running.
Which one are you?
You can take a quiz on the AMC web site to find out.
Is there an important character from your cast missing? Tell us.
Filed under: Creative | 1 Comment
Tags: Advertising Types, Fun, Mad Men
8 tips for B2B social media
“Are your B2B marketing efforts making the most of the latest additions to the online media mix? Social media marketing isn’t just for fun anymore. It should be considered an essential ingredient for any B2B marketing plans. But approaching this medium in a way that creates buzz within degrading your brand is key. What has your business learned through social media that you wouldn’t have known before? Share your thoughts and experiences.”
Filed under: B2B, social media | Leave a Comment
Have branded webisodes become the new indie film studios? That was the question asked by Andrew Hampp in Advertising Age. But another question for marketers, especially international ones, might be how far can brands go in making their message become the medium? And does being able to laugh at yourself open new doors?
Digital media is constantly reinventing itself and creating new genres of advertising and marketing cross-overs. One of the latest is the “sponsored” web-film series, such as the hugely popular show from IKEA by indi-film star Illeana Douglas starring actors including Justine Batemen, Ed Begley Jr., Kevin Pollak and Jeff Goldblum. The program, called “Easy to Assemble,” which debuted last fall, was created as a web series written by and starring Douglas.
In the show, Ms. Douglas plays a fictional version of herself as an actress who takes a job in Ikea only to find she has competition from other Hollywood-has-been actors.
In less than a year, the program quickly reached 1 million viewers, which shows that the market for web series, even sponsored ones, is genuine. The show’s second season will make its debut on web video site My Damn Channel on Oct. 8.
According to Advertising Age, it was Ikea’s media agency Mediaedge:cia, who saw the potential in Douglas’s sitcom script (which was originally called “Illeanarama” ). The agency approached the actress about switching the original supermarket setting for an Ikea store and created it as a web-show.
Ms. Douglas, a self-identified “Ikean,” told Ad Age, “Of the other brands I sat with, the only one I wanted to work with was Ikea. I love their Swedish sensibility and the quirkiness of the brand really could fit me. I also liked their European influence vs. some of the America companies I talked to, because I don’t feel like they were really going to understand or trust what I could do with their brand.”
But one reason the show may be so popular is because of Ikea’s willingness to let the show laugh at the cultural differences that make Ikea (and Swedes) interesting to Americans. Ikea’s marketing chief, Magnus Gustaffson, gives the shows stars the freedom to make jokes at the chain’s expense. Especially things like product names that translate funny into English. (Like “crap” for “quilt.”)
Watch an Episode “Easy to Assemble 07: How Swede It Is:”
So what do you think? Are there other products that could translate well into sponsored TV shows, films, theatre? Is this just the beginning of a new form of “sponsorship?”
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: Advert-filming
Filed under: B2B, Digital, Search/SEO, social media | Leave a Comment
How to do better Webinars
For geographically dispersed audiences, nothing can be more effective for group training and information sharing than an online Webinar. But doing one well, keeping the audience’s attention, and even factoring in cross-cultural needs and differences, can be tricky.
If you want to know how to do it better, you won’t want to miss this upcoming seminar from Marketing Profs, sponsored by GoToMeeting. Featuring speakers from Marketing Sherpa and Neilsen Business Media, it will offer you proven strategies for developing A+ Webinar content.
Live Webinar
Tips and Best Practices for Developing A+ Webinar Content
Date: Wednesday, September 30
Time: 9 AM PDT / 12 PM EDT
Speakers:
Stefan Tornquist, Research Director, MarketingSherpa
Elliot Markowitz, Editorial
Register at Go To Meeting now.
And then tell us what you think…do you learn anything new?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: gotomeeting, marketing profs, Webinars
This video from iMedia connection offers an interesting report on US Department of Defense ban on social media as well a dire prediction about the future for media buying, and a blurb about a new tech IPO formula as presented by Ancestry.com.
The U.S. Marine Corps announced it is banning social networks to avoid unnecessary security risks. Shelly Palmer of MediaBytes says the U.S. Department of Defense is considering a similar ban.
Filed under: Internet-Digital, social media | Leave a Comment
Tags: department of defense, social media, us ban
Treat your email with respect
Just because everyone can do it, doesn’t mean that just anyone should. Sending out poorly written emails at any stage in the customer relationship reflects poorly on your company. Richard Bush, Managing Director of E3 Network agency, Base One Group, recently made this point in a blog post for B2B Marketing Online Blog.
Companies seem to forget that emails to their customers are part of their marketing arsenal and should be professionally written. Even in this age of instant communication and 140-character Twitter updates, typos, incorrect grammar and incomprehensible copy are just bad marketing.
Richard writes:
For me it highlights the lack of respect and attention many marketers give to email. The degradation of the quality of English used in personal emails (as well as in blogs admittedly) is well documented, but we just can’t allow for the standard of professional marketing communication to fall this low.
Even in the international marketplace, not respecting your target audience’s language and intelligence is a huge mistake.
And as Richard says, “Please don’t think that because it’s just email anyone can write it – pay a professional!”
See the example from Yahoo that inspired Richard’s article, here.
Filed under: Creative, Marketing policy | Leave a Comment
Tags: copy writing, email, international marketing
Newbies Field Guide to Twitter
So everyone’s doing it. Twittering. But is it really effective for business? If done right, the answer is yes.
Well, maybe. That really depends on your overall marketing goals and your plan, of course, but if you want to know how to add Twitter to your mix, but sure to check out the new “Field Guide” from Marketing Profs.
As Steven Berlin Johnson wrote in his Time Magazine cover story on Twitter in June, “The one thing you can say for certain about Twitter is that it makes a terrible first impression.” The service allows you to send 140-character updates to your “followers,” he writes, “and you think, Why does the world need this, exactly?”
In their field guide, Anne Hadley and Beth Harte cover the basics of why and how you can use Twitter for business. They answer 29 questions, including:
1. What is Twitter?
2. I don’t get it… What’s the value?
3. Why does everyone talk about what they ate for lunch?
4. Why is Twitter 140 Characters?
5. So Twitter is just a communications tool?
6. How do I find people to follow that might like my product/service?
7. What are retweets and hashtags? How can I use them?
8. How do I reply to a Tweet?
9. What’s a “DM”?
10. What does “RT” or “Retweet” mean?
11. Do I need to respond to everyone who sends me a tweet?
12. How can I tell whether someone is talking about my industry on Twitter?
13. Why aren’t people following my Twitter account?
14. Do I have to say anything? Can I just listen?
15. Can anyone read my Tweets? Will Google index them?
They also list a couple of great resources for getting started on Twitter. Take a look.
Filed under: B2B, Digital, Internet-Digital, Networking, social media | Leave a Comment
Tags: how to guide, social media, twitter
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