Brands, taglines and product names can create precarious consequences in the global economy. A product launch in a new foreign market can turn disastrous, as Schweppes Tonic Water learned after entering Italy where its name translated to: Schweppes Toilet Water.
The global marketplace has companies rethinking their very identities as they work to extend their brands into markets with unfamiliar cultures, languages and economies.
These challenges were the focus of a “Global Branding Trends, Challenges and Possible Solutions” panel during the Heavy Duty Manufacturer Association’s 14th annual Heavy Duty Dialogue held yesterday in Las Vegas.
“No one buys a brand, they buy a reputation,” says John Beering, director, global marketing, Truck Components Group, Eaton Corp., who presented a case study of his company’s branding journey. Beering says Eaton at one time had in excess of 3000 brands worldwide before evaluating and restructuring the company identity into a more manageable portfolio. The company now goes to market with an Enterprise Name, Master Brand, Family Brand and Product Brand. The approach is successful, he says, and allows Eaton to “leverage brand structure as it goes into new global markets.”
Panelist moderator Sally Staab, vice president of Weyforth Hass Marketing, says the importance of brand cannot be overlooked. “It is so much more than a logo
