CHAPTER 11
Global Strategies for Services, Brands, and
Social Marketing
CHAPTER OUTLINE
LXX. Marketing Services Globally
A. Business Services
B. Consumer Services
C. Back-stage versus Front-stage Standardization
D. Culture and the Service Experience
LXXI. Branding Decisions
A. Selecting Brand Names
B. Selecting a Global Name
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to do the following:
Describe ways in which marketing services differs from the international marketing of physical
products.
Explain how culture can affect key aspects of services marketing.
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using global brand names and using single–
country brand names.
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Explain how global social marketing is similar toand different fromthe international
marketing of products and services.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Why is it more difficult to pursue product standardization when marketing services?
Services are intangible, they cannot be stored, and there are no production lines to deliver
2. Why do you think Poles already recognized the Coke name and logo when the product
was first introduced in Poland?
The Coke name and logo is one of the most recognized in the world. There are several
3. Why is it difficult to decide whether to change a local brand name to a global brand
name?
At times firms may choose to change the name of a brand in local markets or even
4. What are the pros and cons of a top-down approach to global branding? What are the
pros and cons of a bottom-up approach?
Top-down Global Branding. Top-down global branding strategies can be more quickly and
easily designed than bottom-up approaches because fewer decision-makers need to be
5. How might a global brand be valuable to a social marketer?
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A global brand could be a quality signal to donors and potential lateral alliance partners such
as local NGOs or governments. As such, it could make raising money less expensive and
6. How can social networks like Facebook affect social marketing in different countries?
Give specific examples.
This question is probably best posed to students of different nationalities in your class. They
could be asked to visit sites they belong to and report any social marketing that is happening
CASE 11.1: CHASING PIRATES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What do you think accounts for the different piracy rates across countries?
Students may point to legal, economic, and cultural reasons behind differential piracy rates
across countries.
2. Identify the different strategies Microsoft uses to combat counterfeits.
Created a Cybercrime Center to ally with governments and other companies.
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Launched campaign to eradicate pirated software by offering full packagers discounted
60 percent off their previous price (Bulgaria).
3. Why does Microsoft expect each of these efforts to be useful? What is your opinion?
Microsoft is trying to combat piracy practices. Its Cybercrime Center is attempting to ally
with other companies facing the same problem as well as governments. Some governments
(USA) are more likely to be sympathetic than others (China). However allying is generally a
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CASE 11.2: FIGHTING AIDS IN ASIA
This case allows students to apply global marketing tools to a social marketing context. Besides
drawing on Chapter 11, this case reviews issues concerning culture, government relations, global
product strategy, international alliance formation and foreign market participation choices.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Given that there are many multinational and local “competitors” participating in the
social marketing of AIDS prevention, what role should API play? What
products/services could it deliver?
This question primarily helps students focus on the fact that arguably many organizations are
chasing the same consumers. While these organizations may applaud all efforts to prevent the
A follow-up question might be: What lessons could Mary learn from the experience of the
Gates Foundation in India? Some answers might be:
2. What elements of these services might be standardized across developing countries?
What elements might need to be adapted?
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Once specific products/services have been written on the board, these can be examined for the
possibility (or not) of standardization. For example:
The Indian idea of having youth or college groups create their own AIDS initiatives.
3. What suggestions would you give Mary for prioritizing the four Asian markets?
To begin this discussion, it might be useful to ask; Why Asia? Does focusing on this region
make sense? Answers might include:
Pros
AIDS is beginning to be a big problem in Asia. Efforts now may keep Asia from
becoming like Africa.
Thailand
Pros
A good market to observe/pick up best practices especially if targeting prostitution.
China
Pros
A big market. You could even choose appropriate cities to target within China.
India
Pros
A big opportunity. India has the second largest number of person infected with AIDS.
Government appears to be less threatened and more serious than the Chinese
government.
Indonesia
Pros
Low but growing rate of infection. A chance to nip the problem in the bud.
A large country. Impact could be great.
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4. Should API partner with local governments? Should it pursue funding from the U.S.
government?
Local governments can bring potential advantages to a partnership:
Credibility
5. How might Mary’s experience as a global product manager be useful in this new
setting?
Student suggestions could include experience with:
Identifying consumer segments across countries
Global product development