Cross-cultural branding efforts... A waste of resources?
So branding like integrated marketing communication is defined very, very differently depending on who provides the definition. The most "fair" definition I found--and I welcome challenges to this one--is: "An orchestrated effort or campaign that focuses on introducing, re-introducing or enforcing the brand for a particular product or organization."
Branding faces enough problems within a single culture as far as getting people to stop and take notice of the organization, product or service. But many organizations, especially international NGOs and relief organizations, are trying to launce international branding campaigns?
Given the complexities of international communication (e.g., cultural interpretations of words, symbols, colors, etc.), are these international branding efforts worth it?
Is it worth it for donors in particular given that many cultures expect the government to support nonprofits rather than individuals?
Branding faces enough problems within a single culture as far as getting people to stop and take notice of the organization, product or service. But many organizations, especially international NGOs and relief organizations, are trying to launce international branding campaigns?
Given the complexities of international communication (e.g., cultural interpretations of words, symbols, colors, etc.), are these international branding efforts worth it?
Is it worth it for donors in particular given that many cultures expect the government to support nonprofits rather than individuals?
posted by Richard @ 4:29 PM
3 Comments:
At 3:12 PM, November 06, 2006,
Giselle said…
I totally agree with Alexis. There are just too many cultural idosyncrasies to create an overarching campaign. If nothing else, the language used must be tailored to each region in order to avoid any misinterpretation.
At 8:57 PM, November 06, 2006,
Evelyn said…
There are so many factors that need to be taken in consideration when lauching campains internationally. Sometimes big nonprofits develop campaigns in their country of origin (most of them here in the U.S.) and then export them to other countries where they operate. Personally, I do not see those campaigns as a waste of resources or time. I think that if they can be property “localized” to the country you can replicate the campaign with the help of the locals. For example you can have the same plan and just try to apply it to the country but make modifications dependinf in the cultural dimensions, media infraestructure, people’s education, language and other elements. The complexity of al elements to coordiante in each country is definitevely something that nonprofits have to deal with with the help of locals as I mention before.
At 9:31 PM, November 06, 2006,
Paul Jonas said…
I agree with Cory and most everyone else about branding. it is difficult to find something that a majority of cultures embrace.
It does exist and if you want to be successful, you would have to be able to brand in a way that hits in one of the universal emotional levels (happiness, sadness, surprise, fear dusgust and anger). The key, too, is that you need to have a product that actually reflects these basic levels of emotion.
I think that it is not necessary to brand a product in the sense that when they think of soda they think of coke. But to brand a product so it creates a certain specific emotion in people.
After a bit of research on emotional branding, I found a book written by a man, Marc Gobe, called "emotional branding" who I ironically is the guy that is responsible for Coke's new worldwide identity and packaging design.
It's just like making friends. look for the commonalities and play to those. If you want more friends find more commonalities and ways to connect them.
Oftentimes, NPOs have a very emotional reason for existance, therefore, I would surmise that there are definitely ways that they can brand and market themselves on an international level.
And I answer your last question, Richard, with a question. Why can't an NGO supported by individual donors be supported by governments as well? Some of these donors may have more money than some of the third world countries the NGOs are helping.
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