Marlboro/Coke: Localizing Global Marketing Campaigns
By Katie Hotra

"'Global' strategy attempts to simultaneously reap the benefits of both stability and responsiveness without giving up either.  It could simply be stated ‘Think global act local’” Robert Grosse


My project will compare Marlboro and Coca-Cola with regard to global marketing practices.  The project will examine the ways that these internationally recognized brands are localized in various countries. Aspects of global marketing, such as advertising, product attributes and how these match consumer needs, distribution strategy, and new product development will be investigated. The primary focus will be global advertising practices employed by Marlboro and Coca-Cola as a communications strategy. The project will explore the marketing, cultural, and religious differences that must be taken into account in the development of advertising for different markets.  Specific problems encountered and solutions developed by each company in the process of globalization will be surveyed.  The project will also investigate the patterns and variations within the respective campaigns in order to examine elements of standardization and customization in both.

A global brand has been defined as “strong in its home market, has strength across other geographies, addresses similar needs worldwide, has a consistent positioning where the consumers value their country of origin, usually has a product category focus and a recognized corporate name.” The definition can be taken a step further, linking the product with universal human emotions and needs, being consistent over time, yet also being able to refresh its appeal, being consistent over all different sorts of media, and using powerful symbols or icons.

This Marlboro image represents a departure from the cowboy campaign used to market their cigarettes in many countries.  The Formula 1 driver is thought to embody the same theme of the independent hero as the cowboy, yet be more suitable to certain countries for a variety of cultural factors.


Brands are also localized through product line expansion as represented by the variance in both product and packaging offered in different markets.  These six beverages are the most popular Coca-Cola brands consumed in Africa. Product variance is another way that brands strive to tailor their products to specific cultural needs and differences among diverse global markets

 

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