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Building on the “grand strategy” perspective employed throughout the America’s New Map (ANM) course series, learn to unlock new customers and markets through differentiated strategic brand development that addresses the core consumer demands of the majority global middle class while effectively working across superpower economies — and their regional spheres of influence — to achieve brand awareness and brand positioning that meets your company’s long-term goals.
This course will go inside NGO, Government, and Commercial entities to provide a playbook for product managers looking to “move the needle” in their enterprises through effective business strategies. Here, we employ the same ANM course series principles regarding global networks and international/national rulesets and the inevitable changes they compel in enterprise dynamics both internally (with employees) and externally (partners and customers). Fully leveraging insights from across the ANM series, this course introduces to produce managers a series of techniques, strategies, and tools to build brand purpose and brand equity on both global and regional scales.
The first week reviews lessons learned from this series’ first two courses, drilling down on key insights most applicable to product managers, such as analyzing markets and their dynamics in terms of their implications for brand strategy. Can you maintain the same brand positioning in a market democracy as in one controlled by a single-party regime? What about your brands’ positioning on social media in an age of rising cyber sovereignty? Is it possible — or even advisable — to maintain a singular brand personality and brand identity in such varied market circumstances? In most cases, the underlying needs of potential customers are the same, and yet it is essential to recognize how differently supervised and structured markets generate decidedly different rulesets for introducing, establishing, and expanding a successful brand.
Second week dives into how your enterprise can improve its customer analysis and marketing for global products by first accessing, and then networking with, the “integrated value chains” being constructed and concentrated across the world’s major manufacturing/demand hubs (presently, North America, Europe, East Asia). Drawing upon the ANM playbook, this week explores how opportunities abound for new products and services within the North-South integration dynamics generated by climate change and demographic transitions. Given the potential time-zone alignment afforded by regionalization of supply chains, effective marketing strategies can disrupt local markets on both price or convenience. For established products, the emergent global majority middle class offers ample opportunities to refine brand name and brand voice. Nonetheless, marketing efforts still involve proven concepts such as Clayton Christensen’s Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) and Steve Blank’s business model canvas (BMC). Strong brands result from a quality product matched with a clear brand identity that works within the rules and regulations of a particular economy. To effectively develop this combination requires 1) detailed mapping of local value networks, and 2) the exploration of, and experimentation within, those networks through various generative and evaluative techniques.
In the third week we further explores the value-network concept, to include how product designs influence business models for creating attractive and expanding networks. Working across superpower network boundaries requires carefully calibrated brand messaging that avoids triggering local protectionist sentiment while ensuring brand values remain stable in the eyes of the consumer. Through marketing efforts that speak directly to target audiences, investors can be assured of effective brand strategy that combines visual identity (to include color palette, typography, fonts) with local core values. However, creating whole new value chains is not always the most effective operational strategy. In fact, brand building often demands company structures and interfaces optimized for ecosystems and APIs, with content marketing modified for markets that are centrally managed or have specific constraints. The week also covers key negotiations and rules of engagement that enhance the value network created by product managers across suppliers and channel (marketing) partners. These various partnering strategies enhance the brand strategy by customizing brand names for, and fast-tracking brand recognition with, the target audience so that powerful brand identities are firmly established in competition with existing brands.
The final week brings in explicit templates for successful brand strategy, leveraging work by luminaries like Geoffrey Moore on how best to navigate changing power dynamics within global value chains while staying true to one’s product vision to grow the customer base. This requires constantly exploring new technologies and offerings to unlock new products for potential customers and to update the customer experience for the existing customer base. As new technologies develop, companies need to decide — based on their long-term goals — where and when to deploy them within their business to improve customer experience, optimize operations, or develop entirely new products. Such pivots typically trigger different brand development strategies. Optimization requires ensuring that your brand identity and core values remain intact while reducing workforce requirements and potentially threatening the brand promise of quality. Updates to the customer experience requires ensuring any changes to the tone of voice, tagline, or brand guidelines fits within the larger brand story. New products or services may require you to build a brand that taps into a whole new customer base, necessitating an entirely new style guide. In each instance, ensuring long-term growth and customer loyalty means maintaining a customer orientation throughout your enterprise, employing organizational and product designs that strengthen your value proposition while attracting long-term partners to succeed in competitive markets bursting with new customers who don’t yet exhibit strong brand loyalty.
Understand How Market Trends Shape a**** Comprehensive Brand Strategy — Learn how changes in the market force adjustments to your brand management and identity, especially the visual elements you utilize on social media and in other forms of digital marketing. Discover why adapting aspects of your brand to different markets and their unique conditions is crucial for your brand's success.
Meet the Needs of Your Target Audience — Identify what potential customers want in a strong brand identity by exploring their preferences in various markets. Use cool tools like Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) and the business model canvas (BMC) to craft marketing materials that support a brand positioning statement with your target audience.
Navigate Global Market Challenges and Opportunities — Dive into the ups and downs of selling your products around the world in target markets. Understand how connecting different touch points of a particular market can help, as well as how economic differences between countries open new doors for different types of brand.
Create a Brand That People Love — Leveraging market research, shape a brand voice and brand identity that match the expectations of different customer segments, including the fast-growing global middle class. This means making sure your brand colors stand out and connect with people’s lifestyle aspirations.
Use Innovation to Stay Ahead — Stay on top of global market shifts by using new ideas and strategies. Determine the best ways to use new technologies to make your customers happier, streamline your work, and come up with exciting new products or services.
Build Strong Relationships That Enable your Long-Term Plans — Work smartly with suppliers and partners to create a network that makes your brand even stronger. Focus on making sure everything about your brand is consistent, which will help your brand grow and keep your customers loyal for a long time.
Week 1: Foundations of Global Brand Strategy
Week 2: Crafting Marketing Strategies for Global Audiences
Week 3: Expanding Brand Reach Through Value Networks
Week 4: Global Strategies for Innovation and Development