Steve Schildwachter, Executive Vice President at "through-the-line" agency Draftfcb, would describe his agency experience as a mix of brand equity building, new product development and retail tactics. These key roles for brand growth, combined with his specialization in International Marketing, have also prompted him to pose the question, "Why should a brand be global?:
According to Schildwachter, "When we think of global category leaders, Coca-Cola and McDonald's are top-of-mind examples. Even if they aren't #1 in every country, they're big globally."
He continues, "Some big global brands, however, are a combination of different brands in different countries. Pledge in some countries is Pronto, Pliz or Blem."
"Reckitt Benckiser, a large CPG company, recently rebranded some products so they could be marketed as a common, global brand. As a result, in the US, Electrosol dishwasher detergent has changing to Finish -- as it is known in the rest of the world. Reckitt also rebranded many household insecticides under Mortein. Even Starbucks' Via brand instant coffee is going global as well."
This again leads Steve Schildwachter to ask, "Why should a brand be global?" He recognizes the cost efficiencies of having the same product, package, and promotion around the world. Benefits also extend to efficiencies in commercializing products locally.
Yet, in our 21st century world, he sees another opportunity to consider: Social media. Schildwachter believes, "Social media is likely to speed the homogenization of disparate brands sold by global marketers."
He says, "If you have ever tracked your brand on any social media, you know that people are discussing it, and in some cases spelling it differently or slightly misstating the brand or product name. Imagine trying to track this conversation if your brand name is different from country to country.
Years ago this didn't matter, not only because consumers didn't regularly communicate with others abroad, but because marketing was so different from country to country. Today you are likely to have the same product marketed under the same name, if not globally, then in every country within the Euro Zone, NAFTA, ASEAN or other international trading areas."
He also cites data from Venture Capitalist Fred Wilson who points out that most visitors to major online resources come from outside the United States. In other words, 72% of visitors on Twitter are considered to be ex-US, as well as 78% on Facebook, and 84% on Google. He adds, "Companies need to pay as much attention to monetizing their usage around the world as they do in the United States."
The Chicago-based Schildwachter also hosts an advertising blog called Ad Majorum, which he characterizes as "a view from within a large agency, and how an executive there embraces the changes and challenges of modern marketing and advertising."
For those who forget their Latin, "Ad Majorem" loosely translates to English as "to the greater." Schildwachter also underscores that the "ad" in Ad Majorem means all marketing communications-- from social media to direct mail to Internet gaming to television commercials. He sums ups, "This time of change is actually an opportunity for better advertising: stronger consumer insights, more powerful ideas, channel-neutral marketing plans, and accountability so we know what sells and what doesn't." - The Internationalist
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