Brand creation and advertising

Executive Summary Brand creation is a major marketing technique that has massive support within and outside the business community and management strategy. In the fast changing environment of technological advancement, it has become imperative to evolve new marketing strategy so as to meet the new challenges of the rapid globalization where multicultural societies have become a norm. In the era of rapid globalization, global advertising is important element of creating and maintaining enviable market position of products across the globe. Effective brand advertising therefore, facilitates good market positioning of the products and holds true for all type of companies, wishing to expand and exploit global market to gain necessary leverage.
Hamsini Shivkumar’s article on the challenges faced in global advertising are succinct and give useful insight into the factors that can make or break the global positioning of the products across globe. Brand creation and advertising are very important part of market strategy. While ‘ brand building is needed because products are the same’ (Kotler, 2005), advertising creates the necessary awareness amongst the segmented market to promote and influence the buying decisions of the public. Effective brand advertising therefore, facilitates good market positioning of the products and holds true for all type of companies, wishing to expand and exploit global market to gain necessary leverage. Taking cognizance of the following factors would promote global marketing campaigns of the products:
Global advertisements should be informative and be able to communicate effectively
Effective communication is important tool to overcome the barrier of language and socio-psychological paradigms of global community. Facilitating easy access to information brightens the scope of retaining the customers. With so much choice in the open market, one must advertise the unique advantages of the products and their usefulness to draw in new customers while keeping the old. The customer is always interested in the end result of his purchase so he needs to be shown the extra benefits that he would be getting on the purchase!
The advertisers must identify with target customers
Segmentation of the market as per the demographic compulsions is yet another factor that contributes towards more dominant market position vis-à-vis common needs and concept that reaches across the race, culture, color and nationality. Advertisements are the most prolific example of segmented marketing where the contents of advertisements are decided by the target group.
The advertisers must address the system rather than individual need
The need has risen so as to accommodate the growing demand from the new market segment that has come up with the advent of new technologies. The inter-dependence of the various elements within the system with its inherent capacity to complement each other has helped establish a market that is sustainable as well as mutually satisfying. The author rightly asserts that ‘ a brand is not just a ‘ product+’, but needs to be conceived as a multi-faceted entity’ (Shivkumar, 2006).
The advertisers must be able to anticipate the changing preference of the customer
While product is of vital importance and pricing makes it a salable item, maintaining a good database of customers is intrinsic part of market strategy which helps one to know the changing preferences of the customers in the rapidly changing times.
Global advertisements must not offend local traditions and cultural paradigms
Any strategy that is formed needs to be localized to suit the local conditions. The promotional techniques and advertisement should adopt sensitive approach towards cross cultural understanding. The promotional techniques should be designed to suit the local conditions.

Reference
Kotler, Philip. (2005). “ Toward Stronger Marketing”. unpublished presentation to the ARF, “ Future of Advertising” Conference, Chicago, 10. 24. 05.
Shivkumar, Hamsini. (2006). Managing global brand advertising. World Advertising Research Center