A Global Marketing Primer of Do's and Dont's

There seem to be two constants in the business world. First, organizations are creating a Global Marketing function. Second, none of them are following the same structural model of roles and responsibilities.

Let me start by saying, Global Organizations need a Global Marketing function. This said, how it should be structured is critical, and far too many give the global group either far too much (usually), or not enough (sometimes), in terms of their areas of leadership, approval and involvement. So, given this, I wanted to provide my summary of Global Marketing Do's and Don'ts:

DO lead the development and cascade of Global Brand Strategy. By this, I mean, what the brand stands for, its overarching promise and the personality that it projects. DON'T develop global advertising executions. In order to connect at an emotional level with your local consumer, your message has to capture them, in casting, in situation, in language. You simply compromise far too much when you try to do it as a single execution, to be run in every market. Pragmatically, the largest market for the given brand should lead the creative process, with input and assistance from Global. Once the creative is nailed, it should be tested in the second biggest market. If it works there, great and move to #3. If not, develop the right creative for #2. Now you have 2 executions to cascade. Keep going until you get to the market that is too small to justify its own unique creative. The good news is, it will have a number of executions available to choose from.

DO lead large platform brand initiatives. These typically are things like large capex projects (eg. NPD, new packaging) or Global sponsorships. DON'T lead these without having input and validation from the local markets. You may not be able to please everyone, but you will know where the hot buttons reside.

DO lead the development and sharing of best practices. Far too many brand-related wheels are reinvented simultaneously in markets around the world. If there is a great idea in Country A, it is their job to share it with Global. It is then Global's job to share it with Countries B through Z. Global should also develop and cascade some best practices of its own.

DON'T have Global Marketing hold P&L responsibility. Nothing will kill a Country President or VP Marketing's motivation faster. Additionally, Global Marketing is not involved in enough the inputs to the local P&L, to be credibly hold responsibility. DO have Global Marketing have shared responsibility for key Brand Metrics (eg. market share, brand awareness and key image attributes), with the local market.

DO have Global Marketing spend all of their time in the markets - at the end of the day, that is who they service. One could argue that there should not be a Global Marketing Office, but rather, the Global Brand team for each global brand should reside the largest local market for that brand. DON'T assume because consumers in one market look like the ones in an adjacent market, that they are the same, and will react the same to the same executions and programs. We see that many times with US-based programs coming, and failing, in Canada. I can only assume the Austrians encounter the same, with programs from Germany.