Brand Design Imperatives for Emerging Global Markets By Jerome C. Kathman

Abstract

Fifteen years ago, I wrote an article concerning the emerging global marketplace for fast‐moving consumer goods. I shared some lessons from our practice as we helped consumer‐goods multinationals navigate what was a time of rapid and accelerating change. Reading this article a decade and a half later, I am pleased that the counsel provided then remains valuable today.At the time, the command economies of Eastern Europe were collapsing and the emerging markets in South Asia and South America were rising. The global marketplace for consumer brands was exploding.Now, in 2015, packaged‐goods brands and retailers continue their march towards globalization. Hyper markets today are found in every corner of the world. The emerging middle class in China, Russia, Brazil, and many other countries is larger and more sophisticated than I would have imagined possible back then.The consumer's voice is more powerful than ever in the age of social media. The role of e‐commerce is today at a scale unimagined at the time this paper was published.The amount of information available today about the world's consumer is overwhelming. Loyalty cards and other big data tools allow consumer‐goods companies to understand purchasing patterns and consumer habits as never before.The new, more discerning middle‐class consumer will continue to drive change and innovation in the marketplace. For companies, making good choices and making them quickly will determine the winners and losers in the marketplace for brands.