You're evaluating brand messaging in diverse markets. How do you assess its impact globally and locally?

Start with a global analysis of your brand messaging. Look at how your messaging performs across different regions. Use tools like Google Analytics, SEMRush, social media insights, and global market research reports from Mintel and Forrest, and Open surveys to gather data on brand perception and customer engagement.

To evaluate brand messaging in diverse markets, start by monitoring key metrics such as brand awareness, customer engagement, and sales data specific to each region. Complement this with qualitative insights from local surveys and focus groups to capture cultural differences and customer sentiments. This combined analysis allows to adjust messaging to ensure it resonates and performs well both globally and in each local market.

Assessing brand messaging globally involves ensuring consistency across cultures and measuring universal appeal, while locally, it requires adapting to specific cultural contexts, gathering feedback, and using relevant performance metrics to gauge effectiveness.

Check website traffic through analytical tools, and social media buzz to see if the targeted audience are noticing your brand. Use several tools to understand if people like your message. Then, track sales in different regions to see if your message is making a difference. Engage with the audience in different groups and try out slightly different versions of your message in each place (A/B testing) to find the best fit.

To assess brand messaging's impact globally and locally, one should first establish an understanding of key metrics and performance indicators (engagement metrics, click-through rates (CTRs) on local and global calls to action, website traffic segmented by region, brand sentiment analysis across different languages) from market research that considers various factors, such as socio-economic and cultural contexts, along with historical data. Armed with this knowledge, the brand can effectively evaluate the impact of their messaging across diverse markets, with the local impact being more immediately apparent through feedback loops, while the global impact may require more time and resources due to the need for aggregated data analysis.

Start by understanding each market's cultural, social, and economic contexts. Analyze local resonance and adapt your message to fit regional values and behaviors. Measure effectiveness through engagement, sentiment, and conversion rates. Ensure consistency in your global brand message while allowing local adaptations. When I assessed our brand's impact I noted how localizing content in specific communities boosted engagement. Effective messaging respects local identities while maintaining global brand integrity.

I think we overthink messaging in international markets. Start at the beginning. What behavior must your message achieve? Typically, messaging is created in a developed country, which seeks to achieve switching. However, adoption is often the most important objective in developing countries. A switching message will not register in a developing country. An adoption message won't work where switching is needed.

Start with data analysis using tools like Google Analytics GA4 for tracking website engagement, Hootsuite or Buffer for managing social media performance, and Brandwatch or NetBase Quid for sentiment analysis. For competition analysis, use SEMrush or Moz to analyze SEO performance. Visualize and interpret data with Tableau or Power BI, and optimize campaign versions through A/B testing tools like Optimizely or VWO. These tools enable data-driven adjustments to enhance your global reach and effectiveness.

When I moved from one diverse market (South Africa) to another (Dubai) I saw that diversity was itself diverse. Diversity in SA existed mostly in economic status with a handful of cultures sharing an identity that was the sentiment of the country so brands had more freedom in expression. The cultural differences in the Dubai required a different approach - leading to many brands reverting to messaging on the lowest common denominator. This shouldn't be the case if brands have strong personalities with defined messaging. Then it is simply a case of translating sentiment to fit the market and respecting their values instead of bordering on pandering. If a brand retains its personality while respecting its market, then it will thrive.

Assessing brand messaging globally begins with understanding its universal appeal and core values that transcend cultural boundaries. By analysing customer engagement, brand recall, perception and sentiment across different regions, brands can gauge the effectiveness of their messaging. This process helps identify where local adaptations are necessary to ensure resonance with diverse audiences while maintaining global consistency. This approach not only enhances brand equity but also fosters deeper connections with consumers worldwide.

Local assessment can only be done by having local experts in the team. It can not happen by reading reports, blogs, forums. It needs deep insights work on cultural, political, economical angles. Insights work should be done at a time long before you assess a messaging. If you want to communicate at a local market, before you jump into assessing a specific message, you need to understand the market first.

One thing I have always found useful is to have a diverse group of people as part of your messaging work . But it doesn't end there. It's always useful to have it tested locally with the end customers . After all if it's not clear to them then that's a big problem

To truly succeed, you need to understand how your brand's message is perceived in each region. Look at local customer feedback, social media conversations, and trends to see what resonates. and building a community in every region can evaluate the local market.

It’s critical to test messages or communication ideas BEFORE the launch. Test internally with sales force, externally with current users, competitor’s users and even lapsed users depending on the communication objectives. Retailer’s advocates is also crucial for success, so, make sure we have their initial feedback beforehand.

While having a strong global message is important, adapting to local markets is equally crucial for success. Understanding regional nuances can make a big difference. Dive into local data to see how your brand's messaging is received in different areas. This includes looking at customer feedback, social media conversations, and market trends to find what resonates locally. Sometimes, this means tweaking your language, imagery, or core message to better align with local values and beliefs without losing the essence of your brand. One thing I’ve found helpful is to regularly gather and analyze this local feedback to ensure your brand remains relevant and impactful in every market

Localizing the messaging is critical. This refers to the situation, the language, and how the story is related. A client had a sound message for Asian markets but their execution was out of touch. The visual dramatization used an analogy of mowing the lawn. Who has lawns in Asia!?! Upon realizing the error of their ways, they changed the visual dramatization to something relatable to Asians. BTW, most insights are unsights. If your "ah ha" is common sense to local marketers, you merely learned what you should have known. Insights must be about unearthing something that others have not yet discovered and using it productively to win customers!

Gather insights from local markets to understand how the brand messaging is perceived and interpreted on a regional level. Conduct market research, focus groups, or surveys to gather qualitative feedback from local consumers and stakeholders. Adapt messaging to reflect cultural preferences, language nuances, and specific market needs.

Global presence tools will vary significantly in local markets like China. The tools mentioned for global reach are not available there. Instead, you'll need tools like WeChat Index or Baidu Index to understand market trends. Google Analytics is unavailable, but you can use Site Admin Analysis Tool. Check your brand performance individually using WeChat Miniapp, WeChat Official Account Dashboard, Douyin Analysis, and similar platforms.

In Pakistan, I worked on an infant formula brand that emphasised the product's gentleness on babies' tummies—a universally appealing message. We tracked engagement and sentiment globally, finding that the core message resonated but required regional tweaks. Our analysis revealed that while the core message of gentleness was well-received globally, communicating it needed adjustments locally. For instance, in some countries, parents were more concerned about the scientific backing of the formula, while locally, testimonials from local healthcare professionals had a greater impact. Based on these insights, we collaborated with local paediatricians and satisfied parents to share their positive experiences as these aspects were highly valued.

I had done this for the brand Rasna. 4 regions of South India were covered in a research to find out what food they have with snacks because the tv ad theme was rasna goes best with local snacks. Based on the findings the 4 language edits with visuals were made.

If content is king, context is queen. The meaning and significance of a specific product in Market A might completely differ from that in Market B. So it is essential to understand the cultural context.

Cultural norms and nuances significantly vary from one market to the other. Thus, it becomes exceedingly important for brands with international presence to be cognizant of cultural preferences of each market they are catering to. For instance, when we were strategising for the South East Asian wing of an international television brand, we had to be mindful of the fact that the people belonging to the region are much more community-oriented than the Western markets. Thus, we ensured that the communication strategy was focused on engaging and strengthening the community and that the brand sounded more welcoming and approaching while talking to this market.

Cultural nuances vary, even when crafting messaging for a local product aimed at a diaspora living abroad. For instance, a pickles brand targeting the South Asian diaspora abroad, focused on bicultural millennials who blended Desi and Western culinary influences. They valued practical authenticity over traditional replication. For the younger diaspora, authenticity is performed not through replication but through practical recreation and reinvention. Hence embracing a "Desi Pop" aesthetic, the packaging design featured vibrant fusion visuals, distinct from traditional pickle packaging norms. This approach not only highlighted versatility but also resonated with their modern, eclectic food choices.

Consider the cultural context of each market. What works well in one country might not translate effectively in another. For instance, humour, colours, and symbols can have different meanings across cultures. When Coca-Cola introduced its “Share a Coke” campaign, they adapted the names on the bottles to reflect popular names in each country, respecting cultural and linguistic differences. Understanding cultural context helps avoid missteps and ensures your messaging is culturally appropriate and impactful.

Of course, cultural context is important. You'll get that from the locals. They're in a much better position to help global marketers avoid costly mistakes. A colleague of mine tells a story about doing missionary work in Latin America. To show he understood something he'd flash the OK sign with his hand. However, as he relates his experience, our hand sign for OK did not mean nor was it OK.

Engaging with cultural consultants or local teams provides valuable insights, helping to avoid missteps and build positive connections with your audience. Comparative knowledge and a background in diverse cultures are vital for creating effective, respectful, and resonant messages across different markets.

The cultural context of each market can significantly influence how your brand message is interpreted. It's important to be aware of cultural norms, taboos and preferences. Liaise with cultural consultants or local teams to gain insights into what works and what doesn't. Using light humour and sympathetic brand imagery can help build a positive connection with your audience and avoid potential misunderstandings.

Translate and localize content, not just linguistically but also culturally. Use local idioms, references, and cultural symbols that are meaningful to the audience.

Brands must adopt their messaging to fit local cultural nuances while creating the brand identity. It will be benefited to the global campaigns whether they're online or offline.

See what competitors are doing to find ways to make your brand stand out. Their position, their communications, and way of putting call to action. It's just not only one time assignment, this has to be carried out on regular basis to understand your competitors closely.

Analyse your competitors in each market. Understanding how local and global competitors position themselves can provide insights into gaps in the market. This is a continuous process to help refine your messaging and strategy to create a point of distinction and position your brand well

Understanding the competitive landscape is crucial for any global brand strategy and to keep your brand fresh and current. Conducting market-specific research, relatively regularly, will help to identify who your competitors are, and where they are succeeding. Using this data to perform a SWOT analysis, can then help you to tweak your brand's UVP and messaging to resonate with local cultural nuances. Regularly benchmarking against competitors and reviewing consumer insights is worth the investment to guide strategic decisions. If you don't stay agile and innovative to adapt to these dynamic and nuanced market differences, and changes, you risk your brand losing its standout and appeal to local consumers.

This is a common error everywhere. Marketers need to analyze competitors' messaging. If they do so, they'll often find that instead of driving relevant, meaningful differentiation, they're touting the same promise and doing it in the same way. Crazy!

Analysing competitors' positioning to gauge where your brand stands and identify gaps or white spaces. Using this competitive intelligence to refine brand messaging and highlight your unique value proposition, ensures your brand captures consumer attention and differentiation in a cluttered market.

It is crucial to understand the competitive landscape in each market alongside cultural considerations. This includes analysing the positioning of your competitors and how your brand stands out or differentiates from them. These insights will help you refine your messaging and highlight your unique value proposition to ensure your brand captures consumer attention in a crowded marketplace. Competitors should be considered as part of your mission as they share a common interest, but at the same time you should emphasise your brand's unique selling proposition (USP). This will allow you to tailor your messaging and ensure your brand stands out in a competitive market.

Keep an eye on market trends both locally and globally to understand emerging preferences and behaviors that could influence your messaging.

Here's another often complicating analysis, the customer journey. My message should resonate to achieve the desired customer behavior. Awareness is not a customer behavior. It is a function of your media, feet on the street, and other vehicles to achieve exposure. We need our messaging to produce action. Think AIDA—not the opera, but the acronym. Attention. Interest. Desire. Action. Your message needs to scream AIDA, wherever and whenever.

Understand the overall customer journey from a global standpoint, identifying the key stages: awareness, consideration, purchase, retention, and advocacy.

Understanding the customer journey on both global and local levels is vital to understand where there are local nuances. Start by mapping out the customer experience, from awareness through to purchase, and evaluate how your brand messaging influences decisions. Identify the touchpoints where your message succeeds and any areas needing improvement (ideally by channel, by customer persona etc.). If you find discrepancies, take these insights as an opportunity for granular refinement to your local messaging to guide consumers smoothly through the funnel. Don't stray too far from your master brand (you need to be recognisable!), but allow the brand flex to find ways to resonate with a local audience, while staying true to your brand values.

The customer journey plays a decisive role in influencing purchasing decisions and the billing process. A clearly communicated and appealing brand message helps to attract the attention of potential customers and increase their awareness. Targeted content and convincing arguments at various stages of the customer journey can further persuade prospective customers and deepen their interest. This helps customers to ultimately make their decision and finalise the purchase. A seamless and transparent billing process is also crucial to build customer trust and maximise conversion rates by ensuring a positive user experience throughout the buying process.

Making sure your brand message fits with what customers experience at each stage of their journey. Gauge the process from the awareness communication to the purchase decision. Even small catches matter alot.

Bueno, esto requiere un enfoque detallado y adaptable que considere tanto datos cuantitativos como cualitativos para obtener una imagen completa. Por ejemplo, si una empresa de tecnología lanza una campaña global para un nuevo producto, evaluará su impacto global a través de métricas de ventas y tráfico web en todos los mercados. Pero, a nivel local, podría hacer encuestas y grupos focales para comprender mejor las diferencias culturales y adaptar los mensajes. La campaña debería ser flexible para poder ajustarse en en tiempo real basándose en las respuestas locales, sin detrimento del mensaje global.

Use both global and local KPIs to measure success. Include metrics like brand recall, engagement rates, and conversion rates to gauge impact.

Use and conduct surveys to measure brand recall and recognition in different markets but also analyze sales performance before and after messaging changes in various regions.

When a brand’s imagery reflects a diverse range of people, it resonates with a broader audience. Like when Band-aid considered fair to dark skin tones as "skin color" for their product.

Une Rencontre Inattendue Il y a quelque temps, lors d'un salon professionnel, j'ai eu une révélation marquante. En déambulant parmi les stands, plusieurs exposants ont commencé à me reconnaître et à m'interpeller. "Hey, nous sommes en contact sur LinkedIn ! Tu te souviens de moi ?" s'exclamait l'un d'eux. Honnêtement, je ne me souvenais pas immédiatement, mais il a ajouté : "C'est toi le YouTubeur de LinkedIn !" À ce moment-là, tout est devenu clair.