Many people call Indiana a “fly-over” state. If you ask the average New Yorker or European, they ask you where it is or they’ll say, “Oh yeah, the Indy 500.” What they do not realize (yet), is that Indiana is a significant player in global trade with over $34 billion in exports according to the latest report from the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. The pharmaceutical and transportation industries lead the way with international trade from our great state.
I just returned from a conference with partner advertising agencies in Paris where we shared best practices in global marketing. CVR is a member of the AMIN network of agencies and an avid participant because we have clients who manufacture goods in Indiana and sell them in markets all over the world. In today’s economy, it is not enough to just translate materials in different languages. Each country has its own culture, its set of brand paradigms and global marketers have to be relevant in each new market they enter.
In the course of three days I returned from Paris, had a customer insight call with folks in Australia, held a Skype meeting with an agency in China and spoke to two AMIN partner agencies, one in Europe and one in Latin America. This is the nature of the global economy. Marketers have to operate on a 24 hour timetable and be prepared to shift their thinking as we get input from partners who have direct insights about their country’s business climate and competitive landscapes. For CVR, we develop much stronger creative and strategies by listening to partners and customers and by developing a holistic, global approach to our communications.
Interestingly enough, many of the channels of communication are the same around the world. From social media to digital platforms, global marketers are using the same tools to reach their audience. (With the exception of China and Russia, of course). But I was amazed as I watched the case studies presented by our partner agencies that many of the tools were the same. I was also amazed by the creative thinking and customer insight that each agency illustrated when they shared their work. Great ideas are universal, and they generally come from a singular customer insight that drives a simple, compelling message that captures emotion and fulfills a need.
So, if you are a Hoosier like us and you would like some help to sell your goods in any country around the world, just give us a call. We would be happy to lend a hand or introduce you to one of our AMIN agency partners from around the world. For more information on AMIN, go to www.AMINworldwide.com.