13 Businesses with Brilliant Global Marketing Strategies
Clarke Ricks
School of Business, Liberty University
BUSI 690: Policy and Strategy in Global Competition
Dr. Hicks
April 5, 2021
13 Businesses with Brilliant Global Marketing Strategies
Global marketing is the act of focusing a product on the needs of potential buyers
in other countries. Like most types of marketing, though, a global marketing strategy comes
down to one thing: audience. Knowing who needs your product, what form they need it in,
and how to market it in a way that strengthens the brand are core ingredients of awesome
global marketing.
Typically, a global marketing strategy requires a business to do new market
research, identify countries where the business's product might be successful, and then
localize the brand to reflect the needs of those communities. However, localization is not
always necessary. Some brands adopt a global standardization strategy instead.
Global Marketing Strategies
1. Red Bull
2. Airbnb
3. Dunkin Donuts
4. Domino's
5. Rezdy
6. World Wildlife Foundation
7. Pearse Trust
8. Nike
9. McDonald's
10. Innocent Drinks
11. Traffic Ticket Clinic
12. Coca-Cola
13. Spotify
Airbnb, a community marketplace for people to list and book accommodations
around the world, was founded in 2008 out of San Francisco, California. Since then, Airbnb
has grown to 1,500,000+ listings in 34,000+ cities worldwide. A large contributor to the
company's explosive global success? Its video campaign titled “Made Possible by Hosts.”
Airbnb launched the campaign to bring its worldwide community of hosts and
guests closer in the wake of COVID-19. The company referred to the campaign as a way to
highlight "the magical experiences that hosts bring to guests." To create the campaign,
Airbnb took real videos and photographs from guests and put them in a video to create the
“sense of nostalgia” we feel when we travel.
Over 3 million people worldwide have engaged, created content, or talked about
the campaign. Just one of its videos has over 3.5 million views.
How to Imitate Airbnb’s Strategy
Airbnb is inherently an international brand because its guests and hosts hail from
a wide variety of locations worldwide. Even if you identify as a more local brand, there are
ways to globalize your efforts. First, bring the focus to different customers in different
regions when you create a testimonial or case study. You can also ask your international
customers to contribute a photo or video of your product in use, and feature that in your
social media content.
3. Dunkin Donuts
National Donut Day happens every year in June. While we get our hands dirty
with a Boston creme (or two) here in the States, Dunkin Donuts China serves up a fresh
batch of dry pork and seaweed donuts.
With over 3,200 stores in 36 countries outside of the U.S., Dunkin Donuts has
evolved its menu to satisfy the sweet tooth of its global customers.
From Korea's Grapefruit Coolata to Lebanon's Mango Chocolate Donut to Russia's
Dunclairs, it's clear that Dunkin Donuts isn't afraid to celebrate cultural differences in an
effort to strengthen its international presence.
How to Imitate Dunkin Donut’s Strategy
If you run a restaurant business, Dunkin Donut’s strategy should draw plenty of
inspiration. To globalize your restaurant brand, try to serve regional or cultural menu items
during special holidays for those cultures and regions.
You don’t necessarily have to expand to international regions first, but if it’s
financially viable, opening new locations or launching regional websites can help you
become a global brand.
4. Domino's
Similar to Dunkin Donuts, Domino's has prioritized menu innovation as a means of
increasing international interest and awareness.
“The joy of pizza is that bread, sauce, and cheese works fundamentally
everywhere, except maybe China, where dairy wasn’t a big part of their diet until
lately,” explains Domino’s CEO J. Patrick Doyle.
“And it’s easy to just change toppings market to market. In Asia, it’s seafood and
fish. It’s curry in India. But half the toppings are standard offerings around the world.”
By making a conscious effort to gain a better understanding of the preferences of
the markets it's trying to break into, Domino's can deliver pies diverse enough to gain
international attention.
How to Imitate Domino’s Strategy
Domino’s strategy is another you’ll want to use as inspiration if you run a
restaurant business. Try to invite chefs from different cultures and regions, then have them
cook your menu items in their regional style and with regional ingredients.
Highlight the chefs in your social media profiles. By doing so, you’ll show your
followers in those regions that they’re also top-of-mind, expanding your global reach.
5. Rezdy
How to Imitate Rezdy’s Strategy
Rezdy effectively globalizes its services by taking into account that its customers’
target audience will be in other countries. Even if your company is marketing to other
regional companies, consider their global customers as if they were your own. If your
product, tool, or software can be used abroad in a wide variety of applications, be sure to
add that to your marketing collateral — even if you operate regionally.
6. World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund takes the literal approach to global marketing by having
hundreds of offices worldwide, each with highly localized goals for each region. It goes
global every year with its Earth Hour initiative — a voluntary worldwide event where
participants turn off their lights for an hour to show how easy it can be to battle climate
change.
It specially promoted its Earth Hour event in Norway. Scandinavian countries like
Norway experience extreme daylight hours in different seasons, making the country a prime
candidate for WWF's Earth Hour campaign. Using digital agency Mobiento, the nonprofit
placed the Earth Hour Banner across Norway's top media sites to promote the event. With
one tap of the banner, the screen went black. Finger swiping the black screen slowly
revealed the Earth Hour countdown. The banner attracted roughly 1,000,000 impressions
and the campaign received three MMA Global Mobile Marketing Awards.
How to Imitate WWF’s Strategy
WWF has hundreds of offices that make it easier for the non-profit to go global,
but thanks to the internet, its easier than ever to connect with international audiences,
especially for a certain initiative you might want to launch, like Earth Hour.
If you have a cool idea, don't be afraid to try it out on one international market —
just make sure it's the appropriate audience. (Also, don't be afraid of the dark.)
7. Pearse Trust
How to Imitate Pearse Trust’s Strategy
This is a great example of focusing on common interests shared among your
company's various markets while also making the content relatable to customers by region.
Globalizing your marketing can be as simple as creating content that caters to different
target audiences in different target regions.
8. NikeNike has been able to evolve its global presence through the careful
selection of international sponsorships, such as its previous long-standing relationship with
Manchester United.
Although sponsorship spending can be fairly unpredictable — demand costs tend
to surge due to triggers like championships and tournaments — these partnerships have
certainly helped the brand capture the attention of a global audience.
Nike's “Nike by You” co-creation platform serves as another strategy that the
company is using to appeal to international markets. By putting the power of design into the
hands of the consumer, Nike is able to deliver customized products that align with different
cultural preferences and styles.
How to Imitate Nike’s Strategy
Partner with other brands, influencers, and ambassadors in your international
target markets. Choose them carefully. For instance, Manchester United is a prominent
cultural force in the UK, and that certainly helped Nike grow in that country.
If you sell a consumer product, why not give the option for your audience to
customize — and resell — the products as well? You’ll end up capturing a much larger
audience, and consumers from different regions will much better capture their region’s
preferences and tastes.
9. McDonald's
No matter what, there’s something to learn from the giant.
How to Imitate McDonald’s Strategy
Like the other restaurant examples on this list, opening restaurants in other
regions may be the first and most natural answer. But if that’s not feasible, especially if you
run a regional brand, celebrate the flavors of the world by hosting an “International Day”
and posting about it on your website and online. This will get you on the radar of those who
may enjoy those foods daily and help you spread the word in other markets.
10. Innocent Drinks
While global expansion and rapid growth can sometimes distract a company from
consistent branding, Innocent Drinks has managed to remain true to itself. By ensuring that
the brand's voice is interpreted the same way around the world, Innocent is able to create a
more recognizable brand.
How to Imitate Innocent Drink’s Strategy
Stay true to your brand voice even as you expand to other markets. Innocent
Drinks is immediately likeable because of its tone on its website and social media.
Friendliness makes you feel more approachable — and thus more accessible to a global
audience. Plus, if your brand is consistent across the board, audiences across regions won’t
feel like they’re getting cheated out of everything your brand can offer.
11. Traffic Ticket Clinic
Though a domestic service, the firm's website is available in English and Spanish.
With those options, Traffic Ticket Clinic can cater to Florida's nearly 3.5 million Floridians
who speak Spanish. Don't miss out on expanding your client base — sometimes you don't
have to look far to attract international business.
How to Imitate Traffic Ticket Clinic’s Strategy
One of the easiest ways you can begin global marketing is by offering your
website in different languages. If you own a WordPress website, you can do that by using
a translation plugin. But remember: Look at your target market first to figure out the best
languages you should offer on your site. For instance, don’t offer Swahili if you don’t serve
East Africa.
