Branding in developing markets

Abstract

Although powerful brands such as Coke, McDonald's, Levi's, and Kellogg's command high mind and market shares in many parts of the world, their comparative performance in developing countries has not been as impressive. At the root of the indifferent performance of these "global power brands" (GPBs) often lies an inadequate reconciliation of the realities in emerging markets. This shortcoming leads to two fundamental limitations of the GPBs: value dysfunctionality, or the inability to deliver what is important to the consumer; and image dysfunctionality, the inability to communicate what is important to the consumer. Awareness of these challenges can help managers avoid the pitfalls and build strong brands in the developing world.