GLOBAL PROMOTION STRATEGIES

DEFINITION: Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix (product, price, promotion, and place). It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision. Promotion may involve activities such as personal selling, advertising, sales promotion and direct marketing There are various factors to consider when trying promoting products or services globally. PROMOTION STANDARDIZATION vs. PROMOTION ADAPTATION The biggest question is whether a firm should use standard promotion strategies for all their markets or to adopt various strategies for each of their markets. Advantages of standardization are economies of scale are achieved, a consistent image can be established across markets, creative talent can be utilized across markets, and good ideas can be transplanted from one market to others. However cultural differences, peculiar country regulations, and differences in product life cycle stages make this approach difficult. Further, local advertising professionals may resist campaigns imposed from the outsidesometimes with good reasons and sometimes merely to preserve their own creative autonomy. However various markets may have different cultures hence the need for adaptation. Standardization may be appropriate in the following instances: Brands can be adopted for visual appeal to avoid translation into different languages Promoting brands using images with universal appeals such as wealth Products that appeal to a market segment with universally similar tastes, values, preferences and needs

AESTHETICS This refers to the attitudes towards beauty and good taste in the art, music, folklore and drama of a culture. This is important especially in the interpretation of symbolic meanings of various artistic expressions. Multinational companies may be forced to take into consideration trademarks which may be acceptable in one country but unacceptable in another. For example the Wise Corporation which has an Owl as a trademark, may have to change this if they intended to market their products in India. The Owl is a symbol of bad luck in India though it signifies wisdom in America.

CULTURAL BARRIES Subtle cultural differences may make an advert which is well accepted in one country unacceptable in another. For Example an American advert that featured a man entering into the bathroom to join his wife was considered an inappropriate invasion in Japan. Gender roles are an important aspect to be considered during advertising. Some cultures feature women in traditional roles than others do. E.G a Japanese advert which stated that a camera wasso simple that even a woman can use it was not found to be unusually insulting. When it comes to Sales Promotions country-to-country differences exist with Cultural norms dictating the preferred purchasing stimulant. For Example Taiwanese consumers prefer coupons to sweepstakes; Malaysians and Thais prefer sweepstakes to coupons. LEGAL ISSUES Advertising regulations differ from country to country. For instance, in some countries comparative advertising is banned especially in Asian countries where it is viewed as a form of bragging and confrontation. While in some European countries price discrimination between consumers is illegal. LANGUAGE AND COLOURS The use of corporate slogans will have to be considered carefully as they may have different meanings which may impart negatively on the multinational Corporation. E.G When General Motors introduced Chevy Nova in Spain they had no idea that the word Nova in Spanish means it wont go. Similarly the Pepsi Cola phrase Come alive with Pepsi when translated into German literally means Come out of the grave. Colors are very sensitive to different cultures and should therefore be used with care. Colors such as red may signify danger while in some cultures red denotes purity, joy, and celebration. Red is the color of happiness and prosperity in China and may be used to attract good luck. MEDIA Media differ in various countries with respect to factors such as cost, availability, usage, quality and restrictions. Consumer media habits also differ EG some may prefer newspapers to television. Of great importance is the advertising content where some audience may prefer direct as opposed to indirect advertising. For Example U.S. advertising tends to emphasize directly why someone would benefit from buying the product. This, however, is considered too pushy for Japanese consumers, where it is felt to be arrogant of the seller to presume to know what the consumer would like.

CONCLUSION The above factors must be considered at length before undertaking any promotion activities at an international level

REFRENCES: Kurtz, Dave. (2010). Contemporary Marketing Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning Gillespie/Jeannet/Hennessey (Second Edition). Global Marketing, Houghton Mifflin Company Arvind V. Phatak International Dimensions of Management Boston: Kent Publishing Co. 1983 Lennie Copeland and Lewis Griggs Going International New York: Random House, 1985