This document discusses different strategies for adapting marketing plans across global markets. It explains that while standardized marketing provides consistency, it cannot account for all local differences in customer needs, laws, and culture. Fully adapting the marketing program addresses these differences but costs more than partial or no adaptation. The document outlines four dimensions of cultural variation and how brands position themselves differently in various countries. It then provides examples of adapting core marketing elements like products, pricing, packaging, and advertising to local conditions. The key strategies discussed are product standardization, straight extension, adaptation, and invention to balance global efficiency and local relevance.

1. EXTENT OF ADAPTATION OF MARKETING PLAN

2. MARKETING
PROGRAM
ADAPTED
MARKETING
PROGRAM
STANDARDIZED
MARKETING
PROGRAM
 PROMISES LOW COST
 CONSISTENCY IN BRAND
IMAGE
 UNFIFORMITY IN MARKETING
PRACTICES
 CATERS EACH MARKET
DIFFERENTLY
 CONSISTENT WITH MARKETING
CONCEPTS

3. WHAT STANDARD MARKETING
DOESN’T TAKE CARE OF?
 SPECIFIC CUSTOMER NEEDS
 CONSUMER RESPONSES
 LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
 ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

4. 4 DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE
Individualism (USA) vs.
Collectivism (Japan)
High power distance(less
egalitarian like Russia) vs.
Low Power distance (more
egalitarian like Nordic
countries)
Masculine (Japan)
Vs.
Feminine (i.e. Less male
dominated like Nordic
countries)
Weak uncertainty
avoidance (Greece) vs.
Strong uncertainty
avoidance (Jamaica)

5. BRANDS ARE POSITIONED DIFFERENTLY IN
DIFFERENT MARKETS
HIGH-END, SUPER PREMIUM
IN THE U.S.
MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD IN
DUTCH MARKET
REPRESENTS SPEED, YOUTH
AND ENERGY IN JAPAN
KNOWN FOR TRUST AND
RELIABILITY IN THE U.S.

6. MARKET
ADAPTATION
PRODUCT
FEATURES
SALES
PROMOTION
PACKAGING
AND
LABELLING
ADVERTISING
THEME
PRICE
BROAD WAYS IN WHICH MARKET
ADAPTATION CAN TAKE PLACE

7. MARKET ADAPTATION
“Think Global, Act
Local”

8. GLOBAL
PRODUCT
STRATEGY
 PRODUCT STANDARDIZATION
 PRODUCT ADAPTATION
 BRAND ELEMENT ADAPTATION

9. PRODUCT STANDARDIZATION

10. PRODUCT ADAPTATION STRATEGY
STRAIGHT
EXTENSION
PRODUCT
ADAPTATION
PRODUCT
INVENTION

11. STRAIGHT EXTENSION
THIS STRATEGY COULD BE TEMPTING
BECAUSE
 LESS R&D EXPENSES
 LESS MANUFACTURING COSTS
 LESS PROMOTIONAL MODIFICATION
BEWARE!!
Campbell Soup Company lost an estimated $30
million introducing condensed soups in England;
consumers saw expensive small-sized cans and
didn’t realize water needed to be added.

12. PRODUCT ADAPTATION
 REGIONAL VERSION
 COUNTRY’S VERSION
 CITY’S VERSION
 RETAILER VERSION
The Euro Disney theme park, launched
outside Paris in 1992, was harshly criticized
as an example of U.S. cultural imperialism
that ignored French customs and values,
such as serving wine with meals.
Renamed Disneyland Paris, the theme park
eventually became Europe’s biggest tourist
attraction—even more popular than the
Eiffel Tower—by implementing a number of
changes and more local touches.

13. PRODUCT INVENTION
BACKWARD
APPROACH
FORWARD
APPROACH
Reintroducing the well
adapted
Totally new on demand

14. GLOBAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
One message, different languages,
names and colors
Same message and theme but adapt
the execution
Global pool of ads

15. When launching Chik shampoo in rural areas
of South India, where hair is washed with soap,
CavinKare showed people how to use the
product through live “touch and feel”
demonstrations and free sachets at fairs.
In certain developing markets in Asia,
consumers loved the Coca-Cola brand but had
never tasted it. They needed to be advised to
drink it cold

16. GLOBAL PRICING STRATEGY
GLOBAL
PRICING
STRATEGY
Price
escalation
Transfer
Prices
Gray
Markets
Counterfeit
Products
3 available options
• Uniform Price
everywhere
• Market-based price in
each country
• Set a cost-based price
In each country
It refers to the price which one unit
charges another unit of the same
company for the goods it ships.
Selling Product made for low
price countries in the high price
countries.
This harms distribution
relations and undermines the
integrity of distribution channel
Fake-products cost a lot of
money to the companies.
Companies should have
strategies to tackle
counterfeiting activities

17. References
• www.buddingmarkets.com
• Marketing Management, 14th Edition – Philip Kotler and Kevin
L. Keller

18. Created by Akash Yadav, IIT Kharagpur, during an
internship by Prof. Sameer Mathur, IIM Lucknow.
www.IIMInternship.com