So you are looking to grow your business, and your research has documented opportunities in emerging markets such as China, Brazil and India. How do you cash in?
UNC-CH Professor Jan-Benedict Steenkamp, who teaches marketing at the Kenan-Flagler Business School and whose research has been widely published, offers a plan.
In a new book “Brand Breakout,” Steenkamp and London Business School colleague Nirmalya Kumar document an eight “route” strategy.
The highlights of each point:
1. Asian tortoise: Migrate to higher quality and brand premium.
“A brand can enter a developed market on the low end and slowly build brand recognition and economies of scale over time to improve quality and raise prices. When it is ready to go after the premium market, it can introduce a separate premium brand that’s distinct from the original. Examples include Haier, Pearl River Piano and Wanli in China.”
2. Business to consumer: Leverage B2B strength in B2C markets.
“By building a B2B brand first, managers can start a platform for expansion, develop name recognition and attract first-rate talent. When the company is ready to start marketing to consumers — often in an adjacent product category — it has a bigger foundation on which to build. Examples include ASD, Galanz, Huawei and ZTE (China) and Mahindra (India).”
3. Diaspora: Follow emigrants into the world.
“With unprecedented numbers of people not living in their native countries, a company can enter developed markets by going after its ethnic groups first. Over time, the brand might attract Western customers, too. Examples include Corona (Mexico), Dabur (India), Jollibee (Philippines), Maybank Islamic (Malaysia), Mandarin Oriental (China) and Pran (Bangladesh).”
4. Brand acquisition: Buy global brands from Western multinationals.
“An emerging market company can acquire a Western company, a move that allows it to buy in to the developed market and gain both an instant international reputation and access to distribution channels in the process. Examples include Bimbo (Mexico), Geely, Lenovo and TCL. (China), and Tata Motors (India).”
5. Positive campaign: Overcome negative associations of the country of origin.
“Rather than flaunting its nationality, a company can hide its country of origin or attack the stereotype that developed market consumers have of their country. Examples include Chang Beer (Thailand), and Ospop, Roewe, Shanghai Vive and Sheji/Sorgere (China). Nation-branding campaigns (South Korea) also are an option.”
6. Cultural response: Position on positive cultural myths
“Because Western consumers often associate different emerging markets with certain positive attributes, a firm can leverage its country of origin for global advantage. Examples include Havaianas (Brazil), and Herborist, Shanghai Tang and Shang Xia (China).”
7. Natural resources: Brand commodities in four steps.
“A brand can be created for natural resources, standing in as both a quality guarantee and a provider of emotional satisfaction. This can be done by explicitly linking it to a country or by branding the commodity itself. Examples include Café de Colombia (Colombia), Concha y Toro (Chile), Forevermark (South Africa), Habanos (Cuba), Natura (Brazil) and Premier Cosmetics (Israel).”
8. National champion: Leverage strong support from the state.
“The states champions a company is and provides subsidies or preferential treatment, such as state resources to expand both domestically and, subsequently, internationally. Examples include China Mobile and Comac (China), Embraer (Brazil), Emirates Airlines (Dubai) and Proton (Malaysia).”
For companies that embrace such a strategy, success could beckon, Steenkamp says. “Do not underestimate the emerging market companies that are attempting brand breakout.”
The authors based their book on research, interviews in China, Brazil, India and other countries, and on their experiences in consulting with businesses.
