The Global Brand

As businesses become increasingly global, companies across the world are grappling with how to effectively position their products and services across different countries and cultures. In this direct and detailed book, branding expert Hollis examines how successful enterprises balance the challenges of expanding globally while creating effective local appeal, introducing his five steps of brand building (presence, relevance, performance, advantage and bonding). While the academic studies and business school matrices such as “Brand Strengths” and “Market Share Prospects” are likely to be more meaningful to industry insiders than to the average business book reader, handy concluding summaries and questions keep the book accessible. Hollis peppers the text with entertaining examples of global marketing initiatives, such as how General Motors turned Buick into a status conscious and in-demand brand in China, how Coca-Cola struggled in India until using Bollywood stars in its commercials boosted its success and how Budweiser was advised to darken the beer's color in the U.K., where consumers perceived the drink as weak due to its light hue. This dense book might seem initially daunting, but marketing pros are sure to find it insightful, informative and a tremendous resource for thinking globally and acting locally. (Oct.)