While the phrase 'global village' is popular in the media and there is certainly no doubt that technology advances are breaking down communication barriers, it is crucial to remember when developing and managing an international campaign that many differences remain — one size simply does not fit all.
Achieving international campaign success depends largely on local knowledge of the market, the current product/service profile, the market opportunity, the competitors, the economic environment and of course the media. Simple replication of a previously successful campaign from one country to another is no guarantee of similar achievement if account is not taken of the local dynamic.
We always recommend that the following be carefully reviewed when planning an international campaign:
GETTING STARTED — LOCAL vs NATIONAL
Avoid the trap of setting purely international communications objectives which fail to take into account the varying challenges and issues faced in each country. Country managers and sales personnel can all play a valuable role in helping add essential 'on the ground' knowledge about specific country challenges, ensuring that the communications programme developed really delivers in terms of international communication objectives while also meeting very specific individual country need. Can we help with country questionnaires?
MESSAGING MINEFIELD
Review key messages by country before you begin. While key corporate messages may remain the same, it is critical that careful consideration is given to the relevance of these messages in different geographic markets. Effective messaging should clearly deliver the company positioning, but must also take into account the economic climate, company performance by country and competitor positioning. For all our international campaigns we insist on reviewing all key messages at the outset in a Messaging and Positioning Workshop where we explore, challenge and develop the right messaging to deliver success.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Allow for and expect different communications approaches by country based on local knowledge. Different countries have different media challenges and needs - from practical presentation of press material (layout style and content) through to activity acceptability - for example, press briefings are virtually unheard of in some countries. Quite simply, with partners in 35 countries worldwide we really do deliver the 'think global act local' mantra.
LEADERSHIP
Appoint a 'lead consultancy' to help avoid duplication and effectively manage budgets by producing cross-border materials for country tailoring/translation ie. company background material, Q&A documents, photo-library, articles for individual country tailoring. A 'lead' consultancy can also take responsibility for managing the consultancies, preparing monthly reports and evaluating the success of campaigns. Of course, the purpose of the 'lead' consultancy is to lead the campaign in terms of overall ambition and provision of central resource to maximise budgets. However, it is the local consultancy whose local knowledge enables the most effective delivery of in-country support. It is the combination of lead agency and country delivery through Pinnacle which really does reap rewards.
WORDS AND WAYS
Remember that second-language communication is prone to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. While English may be an international language it remains a second language for many and effort should be made to ensure that communication is clear. Avoid colloquialisms and generalizations. Recognise differences in communication styles too — while the Dutch are very direct and factual, Italians are expressive and indirect — often taking hours to get to the final point. For more information on different country communication challenges visit our web site www.pinnacleww.com
COMMUNICATIONS CONTROLS
A weekly report-based conference call with all consultancies is a good means of ensuring delivery by all. Standard reporting formats also save time when it comes to reviewing. At all costs avoid the trap of total communication by email. Pinnacle research shows that while email communication is the most valued (for ease and speed) it is also the form of communication most open to misinterpretation by people working in a second language.
SPOKESPEOPLE AND MEDIA TRAINING
A non-country based spokesperson can work — but not very often. Again, local knowledge is the key, with investment in understanding the local country challenges and opportunities critical to achieving media success. English speaking spokespeople are acceptable in some non-english countries, but we would generally advise that native speakers are best. Whoever you choose, media training is essential to deliver international campaign messages.
SHARING INFORMATION
Consider development of a simple intranet to share information with and by the consultancies and marketing team. Corporate documents, visionary articles, case studies, photo library etc. can all be accessed simply and quickly. Posting of cuttings can also act as a competitive incentive between consultancies!
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