Global Branding: What is it and how to achieve global brand management with excellence?
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 8:31 am
What if you suddenly started to see the whole world in the same way as you see your market? Without borders for branding , your brand could be known by people from several different countries and cultures. Do you like the idea? Then you should learn about global branding.
Don't think that it's just a matter of arriving in a new country and planting your what is gcash brand's flag. It's like the cowboy stranger in the western movies: you attract the attention of the locals, but they all look at you suspiciously. So, you have to prove yourself to be welcome.
In the case of global companies , they must show their value and adapt to each region in which they want to operate, without losing their identity or their values. It seems complicated, right? But there is nothing that good international branding management cannot solve.
In this article, you will learn all the secrets about this fascinating topic. Keep reading!
What is global branding?
Global branding is the management of a brand in different regions of the world , with the aim of increasing its strength and recognition in the markets in which it operates. This strategy can also be called global branding or international branding.
Global branding involves planning how the brand wants to be seen around the world and how it will position itself in each market to generate this perception at the points of contact with the consumer ( price, product, place and promotion ).
Local branding is already a challenge. It is difficult for our brand to be remembered and recognized by consumers in our own city or country. Imagine doing this in several different places, each with its own culture , demands, rules and organizational logic.
It was globalisation, starting in the 1980s, that allowed brands to cross borders. Until then, only giants could do that.
But reduced transport costs and new means of communication (did someone say Internet?) have accentuated integration between countries and facilitated the expansion of brands of all sizes.
Despite having affected local cultures, globalization has not been able to standardize customs, cultures and rules.
Therefore, brands faced the challenge of conquering markets in different regions without giving up their particularities, since the opposite would be a path to failure.
It is not enough to push our products in another country , it is also necessary to build brand perception and present our value proposition to our new consumers .
That is where the importance of a global strategy lies. Rather than creating a website or making deliveries in several countries, global branding consists of guiding which elements of the brand should be preserved globally and which should be adapted to each region.
What are the advantages of global branding?
For brands that have already conquered their regional market and want to grow and expand to other countries, this may be the natural path. This decision can bring them a series of benefits, as we will see below.
Increase brand reach
The most obvious advantage for brands that go global is that they reach more people in new markets. The brand becomes known around the world, wins over more customers and fans, and gains more sales traction .
Increase brand value
Globally recognized brands gain market value. Just look at the list of the most valuable brands in the world according to Brand Finance :
Amazon (USD 220.8 billion)
Google (USD 159.7 billion)
Apple (USD 140.5 billion)
Microsoft (USD 117 billion)
Samsung (USD 94.5 billion)
ICBC (USD 80.7 billion)
Facebook (USD 79.8 billion)
Walmart (USD 77.5 billion)
Ping An (USD 69 bi)
Huawei (USD 65 billion)
Most of them are known all over the world. Many of them are probably part of your daily life, aren't they? This indicates that, as the company expands around the world, the brand itself becomes its greatest asset .
Finding unserved markets
By exploring new countries, you may find great opportunities . Do you think your product meets a need that is not yet being met in some region of the world?
Maybe you can enter that market without the barriers of competition and position yourself as the reference for the population of that place .
Look at the example of Uber, which occupied a market in urban transport where the population was poorly served. With an aggressive expansion strategy, the brand became a reference in app-based transport and is even synonymous with the category in several countries.
Saving on scale
Global branding also tends to generate savings for marketing investments in general. Global brands can reduce their costs by launching a single campaign that is tailored to each region, rather than separate campaigns for different markets.
They also tend to concentrate all their advertising on hiring an international agency, which brings together the best talents in the world. In short, this results in less cost and more efficiency.
Improve brand perception
Brands that become global also tend to gain prestige. They become symbols of status and quality and are in many cases more desirable than local brands (although this perception is changing in some markets, as we will see later).
In addition, a global brand strategy strengthens identity . By adapting to each region, the brand manages to gain people's trust, without losing its essence, which is reinforced in all locations of operation.
Increase bargaining power
If the brand gains prestige and improves its image in the market, it also gains the power to bargain. After all, it will not be held hostage by companies that do not offer good conditions. This leads to much more advantageous negotiations with suppliers, customers and partners.
Overcoming local competition
Global branding is an ingredient to build competitive advantage over local competition. Global brands are stronger and more valuable and consolidate their space in the minds of consumers. Thus, they stand out among the competition in purchasing decisions .
What are the main obstacles to building a global brand?
Global branding brings a number of benefits, but only for those who manage to overcome the obstacles to its implementation. It is not a simple process and not every brand can achieve it.
Next we will see what the main difficulties are.
Local culture
The first obstacle a brand faces when trying to expand globally is local cultures.
When you are already accustomed to your domestic market and you know the consumers, you already have people's trust and you know how to be helpful to them. But you just have to cross the border and everything becomes different. Habits, expectations, demands and problems are different.
In this new scenario, how can we achieve the receptiveness of the population?
This is the challenge that large fast food chains faced in Vietnam. McDonald's and Burger King have restaurants in almost every country, but they failed to thrive in Vietnam. There are various reasons for this, but some of them have to do with local culture:
Vietnamese people were already accustomed to fast food services.
The brands could not beat the local options, which were very cheap and well served.
brands failed to adapt to the local food-sharing culture.
The conflicts between the United States and Vietnam created political resistance.
In the following video (in English) you will be able to better understand the situation.
Local legislation
Local legislation is also one of the biggest challenges in new markets. As well as culture, internal rules also vary from one country to another. Will your company be able to reach a certain region and act as they do in your own country?
Airbnb, for example, faces this obstacle. The platform's global growth was so great that it disrupted local housing dynamics and in some places caused a process of gentrification .
The map below shows the concentration of Airbnb-related accommodations in central and upmarket areas of Berlin, driving local residents to the outskirts of the city.
In response, Berlin has banned short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb. Paris and Amsterdam have instituted limits of 120 days and 30 days respectively. Barcelona requires hosts to have a license to advertise their properties on the platform.
Public power and Airbnb remain in dispute in several places. But it is clear that local legislation can become an obstacle to global expansion in some cases.
Local economy
One of the major economic and behavioural trends for the coming years is the appreciation of the local economy.
More and more people are becoming aware of the importance of going to the small market next to their home and buying from the artisan in their own town. This moves the entire local network, creates jobs for the city's inhabitants and adds value to regional production.
In this context, global brands lose ground in sales and in their image . The status that global brands had tends to be transferred to local, artisanal, organic brands, which today are perhaps more desirable.
For this reason, a global branding strategy that understands and respects the particularities of each region, without wanting to impose the rules or lifestyle of other nations, becomes even more important.
Team integration
Another obstacle to global branding lies in the internal structure of companies. Imagine the challenge of getting teams from different parts of the world to connect and share their learning.
Different languages, time zones, working methods, etc. make communication and planning global strategies difficult. In addition, there is always that skepticism: "it worked there, but it won't work here..."
So each team does it their own way and this can create inconsistencies for the brand image .
Major risks
Finally, one obstacle that companies may face is the fear of taking risks. Operating in other countries is a big leap for brand growth and involves grandiose and daring strategies that can scare entrepreneurs.
It makes sense: the higher you fly, the greater the fall .
However, we are talking about something that can minimize the risks of this move: global branding planning . This strategy indicates the steps to follow to have more opportunities for success in each region in which you want to operate.
How to start a global branding strategy?
Your brand is already a success in your country, you already have a strong brand and a consolidated consumer market. Many companies would think that the time has come to cross borders and seas to conquer other countries, right?
But you may think that you don't have a company big enough to do this. Then, you should know that global branding is not exclusive to giants.
All the company needs to do is find a promising market in another country (because global branding doesn't mean you need to be everywhere in the world).
Now, let's look at some tips on how to start a global branding strategy, regardless of the size of your company. Learn the main points you should consider.
Combines consistency and flexibility in strategies
The essence of a global branding strategy is the combination of consistency and flexibility . It seems contradictory, but it is not. You need to have a consistent and coherent brand in all the regions in which you are present to strengthen it in the minds of consumers .
At the same time, you must have the flexibility to adapt strategies and positioning to the local culture and market, without losing your essence. Finding this balance is essential to the success of a global brand.
Have a strong and consistent brand identity
In this search for consistency, it is important to reinforce the brand's values , mission and vision . These are the elements of branding that support the brand's identity.
The key elements of the brand are non-negotiable; they must be solid and reinforced in each local team so as not to change in the different regions of operation. In Spain, Japan or Mexico, the brand must be the same.
Having a consistent brand, however, does not mean that the identity and marketing strategies cannot be altered according to the culture of each location.
If you try Coca-Cola in other countries, for example, you may experience different flavors, this happens because some ingredients, such as sugar, vary depending on the regional ingredients and the palate of the local population.
The essence is not lost, but the way it is presented can be adapted so that the brand has more adherence. This is where the balance between consistency and flexibility that we talked about earlier is found.
Carry out a global brand planning
Strategic planning is the process that defines identity (mission, vision and values), but it does not end there.
Based on a diagnosis of the company, this planning also defines the goals and indicators of success , the action plans and the forms of support and performance analysis.
When thinking about global branding, it is important that strategic planning is consistent across all brand actions. Companies must adopt a system that links global brand strategies to strategies for each country.
According to an HBR report , there are two ways to do this: top-down or bottom-up .
The top-down approach consists of making a global plan that guides local strategies. Based on the global strategy, each local area can add or modify elements to adapt them to its reality.
On the other hand, the bottom-up approach means a global strategy built on the brand strategies of each country.
Global brand management groups country strategies by similarity, such as market maturity (emerging, developed or underdeveloped) and competitive context (whether the brand is a leader or challenger), while maintaining common elements across all regions.
Understand the different markets
One of the main tools for strategic planning is market research . In the case of global branding, this research must be carried out in each location to understand its particularities and define how the brand should be positioned in the different regions.
Each region has its own way of operating. In the same sector, competition in South Africa is different from competition in Italy. Ford, for example, which is the sales leader in several countries, needs to position itself as an alternative in Germany, where Volkswagen dominates.
To understand this, you can do a Porter's Forces study . This study analyzes the competitive landscape and the relationships between the players in the sector: customers, competitors, suppliers, substitutes and potential entrants, which vary in each location.
Meet local consumers
In a market study, it is essential to analyze the public. How big is your market? How many consumers can you reach? What are their needs, behaviors, demands, beliefs and expectations?
From the perspective of global branding, local culture influences the tastes, habits and behavior of consumers .
Therefore, companies must have, in addition to quantitative data to size the market, qualitative data to understand the local public and discover market niches.
From this knowledge, the brand understands what is important to those people and how it can deliver value to them . Every new market requires you to meet a new audience and tell a new story.
Define local brand positioning
Through in-depth market research, the brand can define its positioning in each location.
It is worth remembering that the essence of the brand does not change, as it is based on the same values, mission and vision anywhere in the world. However, the local strategy must have a brand positioning appropriate to the market relations and public profile of each region.
Want an example? The attributes associated with the Honda brand in the United States are quality and reliability. On the other hand, in Japan, where quality is intrinsic to any vehicle, Honda represents speed, youth and energy.
You should notice how the brand image, built by global branding, varies according to the characteristics of the market.
Find local partners
Among the obstacles to global branding, we talk about the valorisation of the local economy. Instead of collaborating with the growth of companies that are already global, people are turning to small markets, shops and artisans in their own city.
How can brands overcome this scenario? The way forward may be to see the local economy as an ally and not an obstacle. You can partner with local businesses, such as suppliers, distributors, small partner brands, regional events, advertising agencies, among others.
With this, you build a win-win relationship. The small entrepreneur becomes stronger and your brand gains the trust of the local public .
Don't think that it's just a matter of arriving in a new country and planting your what is gcash brand's flag. It's like the cowboy stranger in the western movies: you attract the attention of the locals, but they all look at you suspiciously. So, you have to prove yourself to be welcome.
In the case of global companies , they must show their value and adapt to each region in which they want to operate, without losing their identity or their values. It seems complicated, right? But there is nothing that good international branding management cannot solve.
In this article, you will learn all the secrets about this fascinating topic. Keep reading!
What is global branding?
Global branding is the management of a brand in different regions of the world , with the aim of increasing its strength and recognition in the markets in which it operates. This strategy can also be called global branding or international branding.
Global branding involves planning how the brand wants to be seen around the world and how it will position itself in each market to generate this perception at the points of contact with the consumer ( price, product, place and promotion ).
Local branding is already a challenge. It is difficult for our brand to be remembered and recognized by consumers in our own city or country. Imagine doing this in several different places, each with its own culture , demands, rules and organizational logic.
It was globalisation, starting in the 1980s, that allowed brands to cross borders. Until then, only giants could do that.
But reduced transport costs and new means of communication (did someone say Internet?) have accentuated integration between countries and facilitated the expansion of brands of all sizes.
Despite having affected local cultures, globalization has not been able to standardize customs, cultures and rules.
Therefore, brands faced the challenge of conquering markets in different regions without giving up their particularities, since the opposite would be a path to failure.
It is not enough to push our products in another country , it is also necessary to build brand perception and present our value proposition to our new consumers .
That is where the importance of a global strategy lies. Rather than creating a website or making deliveries in several countries, global branding consists of guiding which elements of the brand should be preserved globally and which should be adapted to each region.
What are the advantages of global branding?
For brands that have already conquered their regional market and want to grow and expand to other countries, this may be the natural path. This decision can bring them a series of benefits, as we will see below.
Increase brand reach
The most obvious advantage for brands that go global is that they reach more people in new markets. The brand becomes known around the world, wins over more customers and fans, and gains more sales traction .
Increase brand value
Globally recognized brands gain market value. Just look at the list of the most valuable brands in the world according to Brand Finance :
Amazon (USD 220.8 billion)
Google (USD 159.7 billion)
Apple (USD 140.5 billion)
Microsoft (USD 117 billion)
Samsung (USD 94.5 billion)
ICBC (USD 80.7 billion)
Facebook (USD 79.8 billion)
Walmart (USD 77.5 billion)
Ping An (USD 69 bi)
Huawei (USD 65 billion)
Most of them are known all over the world. Many of them are probably part of your daily life, aren't they? This indicates that, as the company expands around the world, the brand itself becomes its greatest asset .
Finding unserved markets
By exploring new countries, you may find great opportunities . Do you think your product meets a need that is not yet being met in some region of the world?
Maybe you can enter that market without the barriers of competition and position yourself as the reference for the population of that place .
Look at the example of Uber, which occupied a market in urban transport where the population was poorly served. With an aggressive expansion strategy, the brand became a reference in app-based transport and is even synonymous with the category in several countries.
Saving on scale
Global branding also tends to generate savings for marketing investments in general. Global brands can reduce their costs by launching a single campaign that is tailored to each region, rather than separate campaigns for different markets.
They also tend to concentrate all their advertising on hiring an international agency, which brings together the best talents in the world. In short, this results in less cost and more efficiency.
Improve brand perception
Brands that become global also tend to gain prestige. They become symbols of status and quality and are in many cases more desirable than local brands (although this perception is changing in some markets, as we will see later).
In addition, a global brand strategy strengthens identity . By adapting to each region, the brand manages to gain people's trust, without losing its essence, which is reinforced in all locations of operation.
Increase bargaining power
If the brand gains prestige and improves its image in the market, it also gains the power to bargain. After all, it will not be held hostage by companies that do not offer good conditions. This leads to much more advantageous negotiations with suppliers, customers and partners.
Overcoming local competition
Global branding is an ingredient to build competitive advantage over local competition. Global brands are stronger and more valuable and consolidate their space in the minds of consumers. Thus, they stand out among the competition in purchasing decisions .
What are the main obstacles to building a global brand?
Global branding brings a number of benefits, but only for those who manage to overcome the obstacles to its implementation. It is not a simple process and not every brand can achieve it.
Next we will see what the main difficulties are.
Local culture
The first obstacle a brand faces when trying to expand globally is local cultures.
When you are already accustomed to your domestic market and you know the consumers, you already have people's trust and you know how to be helpful to them. But you just have to cross the border and everything becomes different. Habits, expectations, demands and problems are different.
In this new scenario, how can we achieve the receptiveness of the population?
This is the challenge that large fast food chains faced in Vietnam. McDonald's and Burger King have restaurants in almost every country, but they failed to thrive in Vietnam. There are various reasons for this, but some of them have to do with local culture:
Vietnamese people were already accustomed to fast food services.
The brands could not beat the local options, which were very cheap and well served.
brands failed to adapt to the local food-sharing culture.
The conflicts between the United States and Vietnam created political resistance.
In the following video (in English) you will be able to better understand the situation.
Local legislation
Local legislation is also one of the biggest challenges in new markets. As well as culture, internal rules also vary from one country to another. Will your company be able to reach a certain region and act as they do in your own country?
Airbnb, for example, faces this obstacle. The platform's global growth was so great that it disrupted local housing dynamics and in some places caused a process of gentrification .
The map below shows the concentration of Airbnb-related accommodations in central and upmarket areas of Berlin, driving local residents to the outskirts of the city.
In response, Berlin has banned short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb. Paris and Amsterdam have instituted limits of 120 days and 30 days respectively. Barcelona requires hosts to have a license to advertise their properties on the platform.
Public power and Airbnb remain in dispute in several places. But it is clear that local legislation can become an obstacle to global expansion in some cases.
Local economy
One of the major economic and behavioural trends for the coming years is the appreciation of the local economy.
More and more people are becoming aware of the importance of going to the small market next to their home and buying from the artisan in their own town. This moves the entire local network, creates jobs for the city's inhabitants and adds value to regional production.
In this context, global brands lose ground in sales and in their image . The status that global brands had tends to be transferred to local, artisanal, organic brands, which today are perhaps more desirable.
For this reason, a global branding strategy that understands and respects the particularities of each region, without wanting to impose the rules or lifestyle of other nations, becomes even more important.
Team integration
Another obstacle to global branding lies in the internal structure of companies. Imagine the challenge of getting teams from different parts of the world to connect and share their learning.
Different languages, time zones, working methods, etc. make communication and planning global strategies difficult. In addition, there is always that skepticism: "it worked there, but it won't work here..."
So each team does it their own way and this can create inconsistencies for the brand image .
Major risks
Finally, one obstacle that companies may face is the fear of taking risks. Operating in other countries is a big leap for brand growth and involves grandiose and daring strategies that can scare entrepreneurs.
It makes sense: the higher you fly, the greater the fall .
However, we are talking about something that can minimize the risks of this move: global branding planning . This strategy indicates the steps to follow to have more opportunities for success in each region in which you want to operate.
How to start a global branding strategy?
Your brand is already a success in your country, you already have a strong brand and a consolidated consumer market. Many companies would think that the time has come to cross borders and seas to conquer other countries, right?
But you may think that you don't have a company big enough to do this. Then, you should know that global branding is not exclusive to giants.
All the company needs to do is find a promising market in another country (because global branding doesn't mean you need to be everywhere in the world).
Now, let's look at some tips on how to start a global branding strategy, regardless of the size of your company. Learn the main points you should consider.
Combines consistency and flexibility in strategies
The essence of a global branding strategy is the combination of consistency and flexibility . It seems contradictory, but it is not. You need to have a consistent and coherent brand in all the regions in which you are present to strengthen it in the minds of consumers .
At the same time, you must have the flexibility to adapt strategies and positioning to the local culture and market, without losing your essence. Finding this balance is essential to the success of a global brand.
Have a strong and consistent brand identity
In this search for consistency, it is important to reinforce the brand's values , mission and vision . These are the elements of branding that support the brand's identity.
The key elements of the brand are non-negotiable; they must be solid and reinforced in each local team so as not to change in the different regions of operation. In Spain, Japan or Mexico, the brand must be the same.
Having a consistent brand, however, does not mean that the identity and marketing strategies cannot be altered according to the culture of each location.
If you try Coca-Cola in other countries, for example, you may experience different flavors, this happens because some ingredients, such as sugar, vary depending on the regional ingredients and the palate of the local population.
The essence is not lost, but the way it is presented can be adapted so that the brand has more adherence. This is where the balance between consistency and flexibility that we talked about earlier is found.
Carry out a global brand planning
Strategic planning is the process that defines identity (mission, vision and values), but it does not end there.
Based on a diagnosis of the company, this planning also defines the goals and indicators of success , the action plans and the forms of support and performance analysis.
When thinking about global branding, it is important that strategic planning is consistent across all brand actions. Companies must adopt a system that links global brand strategies to strategies for each country.
According to an HBR report , there are two ways to do this: top-down or bottom-up .
The top-down approach consists of making a global plan that guides local strategies. Based on the global strategy, each local area can add or modify elements to adapt them to its reality.
On the other hand, the bottom-up approach means a global strategy built on the brand strategies of each country.
Global brand management groups country strategies by similarity, such as market maturity (emerging, developed or underdeveloped) and competitive context (whether the brand is a leader or challenger), while maintaining common elements across all regions.
Understand the different markets
One of the main tools for strategic planning is market research . In the case of global branding, this research must be carried out in each location to understand its particularities and define how the brand should be positioned in the different regions.
Each region has its own way of operating. In the same sector, competition in South Africa is different from competition in Italy. Ford, for example, which is the sales leader in several countries, needs to position itself as an alternative in Germany, where Volkswagen dominates.
To understand this, you can do a Porter's Forces study . This study analyzes the competitive landscape and the relationships between the players in the sector: customers, competitors, suppliers, substitutes and potential entrants, which vary in each location.
Meet local consumers
In a market study, it is essential to analyze the public. How big is your market? How many consumers can you reach? What are their needs, behaviors, demands, beliefs and expectations?
From the perspective of global branding, local culture influences the tastes, habits and behavior of consumers .
Therefore, companies must have, in addition to quantitative data to size the market, qualitative data to understand the local public and discover market niches.
From this knowledge, the brand understands what is important to those people and how it can deliver value to them . Every new market requires you to meet a new audience and tell a new story.
Define local brand positioning
Through in-depth market research, the brand can define its positioning in each location.
It is worth remembering that the essence of the brand does not change, as it is based on the same values, mission and vision anywhere in the world. However, the local strategy must have a brand positioning appropriate to the market relations and public profile of each region.
Want an example? The attributes associated with the Honda brand in the United States are quality and reliability. On the other hand, in Japan, where quality is intrinsic to any vehicle, Honda represents speed, youth and energy.
You should notice how the brand image, built by global branding, varies according to the characteristics of the market.
Find local partners
Among the obstacles to global branding, we talk about the valorisation of the local economy. Instead of collaborating with the growth of companies that are already global, people are turning to small markets, shops and artisans in their own city.
How can brands overcome this scenario? The way forward may be to see the local economy as an ally and not an obstacle. You can partner with local businesses, such as suppliers, distributors, small partner brands, regional events, advertising agencies, among others.
With this, you build a win-win relationship. The small entrepreneur becomes stronger and your brand gains the trust of the local public .