'Think globally, act locally'.
This seems to be the specific, considered and most targeted answer in the task of reaching and encapsulating the vastly diverse audiences that exist in the great market-place of the world. To a certain degree the concept of being able to direct communications to a specific audience is an extremely effective and optimum form of conveying a message and is of the utmost importance in discussing the business of advertising.
'Local' ad agencies, such as ones just representing their country, act rather like societal sponges and craftsmen. They have optimum understanding and knowledge of their nation's culture, trends, fashion, street vernacular and the general things that are in vogue. They also know what ideas have been used before and what things are 'cool', this allows for originality and creative strategic tailoring.
Logically from this culturally specific knowledge, ad agencies will be able to advise their clients on the best way to reach this local audience and the most effective forms of media to target these audiences. Consumers are different the world over, and react differently from certain media stimuli. For example in the U.K. a giant poster campaign to launch a new brand may be very successful; whereas in Spain sponsoring a popular TV show would be more effective as the public watch a lot more television on average than in the U.K. and stay very loyal to certain programmes and channels.
The next major issue is that of the creative work. As mentioned, a local agency and creative team is sensitive to their environment, they soak up the intricacies and unique circumstances of their surroundings and craft a 'sniper' like attack on the local public that reaches and engages them. A global campaign can lose that valuable focus via a cumbersome 'blanket' attack on a mass audience, such as the car ads for SEAT in Europe being quite uniform and non-country specific.
The consumer focus can be lost via the confusion and lack of creative consistency with some of the huge agency networks that deal with global solutions. Besides the client's financial savings and economies of scale made possible by using one agency to deliver a global solution; quality, strategy and effectiveness can be lost in the internationalisation of the communication solution. Each network around the world normally speak another language and their public receive themes of humour, love, sex, music and popular culture in different ways; such as the stark differences in British and American humour. Consequently these differences in opinion and in creativity create a 'Chinese whispers' effect, where a monolithic, unified and coherent message across borders is not executed. Local ad agencies with smaller tightly bonded networks that have deep local expertise can offer a motivated, tailored and commercially effective solution inspired by their local sources. Examples like sporting goods and jeans are culturally/regionally sensitive e.g. the Jonny Wilkinson and Becks Adidas ads would have no significant effect in France, Germany and Spain (where they have their own sports-stars), and no real effect in America. Also jeans are marketed and designed in Latin America for consumers that wear jeans very tightly fitted for rounder bodies hence a tailored communicative approach is the more creative and efficacious. Focusing creativity and communication of a brand through tailoring and local execution can allow for greater cultural sensitivity and brand salience, however the global image and position of the brand can become atomised and confused via the tailoring process.
The considerable merits of the 'global' creative solution answer some of the 'local' solution failings. There are many examples where a very creative, original, engaging and strategic idea that is supported by a suitable and flexible media plan, transcend cultural differences and deliver effective and accountable solutions.
Truly global examples like Nike, Gap and Coca-Cola have achieved strong, clear and identifiable brand images and recognition; via the global approach. The creative use of semiotics and brand logos allow us to identify Coke (and not just Santa Claus) by the colours red and white, and Nike by their tick. Also the infamous Ferrero Rocher ads and their distinct lack of tailoring have proved to be unforgettable and commercially effective in the many countries that they have been aired. Global impacting and thoughtful ideas that provoke and persuade consumers cross-borders can serve to find the cultural similarities and combine them into a market that is larger hence more economically powerful. The Levi's, Audi and Lynx/Axe ads execute this idea with a border-less vision: The Levi's 'Clayman', the Audi RS6-'Bull'and Lynx-'Seduction' clearly and emphatically communicate their message and remain placeless; that is they need not be tailored to the U.K market nor any other. They are creative global ads that engage consumers in any country.
The balance between the global-local solution is intricate and in deciding which is the more effective and creative is very difficult to measure. However in conclusion the result of a well executed, original and unforgettable global campaign is that it has a huge audience to stimulate. The playing field is borderless and very powerful and allows for supreme and rapid brand recognition and saturation into people's lives. For the global solution to be successful the agency must have culturally specific knowledge of every complexity in each respective market, as knowledge dispels fear (to steal the Parachute Regiment's motto) knowledge thus reduces risk, and the following creative idea can be considered, bold and ultimately borderless.
Mono Ghose MA (Hons) Mavericks Executive Account Director/Partner |
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