The term “Think global, act local” was first coined in the context of environmental challenges, but has taken on a much wider meaning in recent years. The desire by multi-nationals and their marketing teams to drive a consistent proposition, packaging and design across markets and geographies is clear. It enables to quickly roll-out from one market to another, providing speed to market, manufacturing scale and marketing efficiencies. However, in-market experience has shown that whilst global design is effective, it can sometimes fall short in local market context where the retail environment is different and consumers might have different traditions, tastes and preferences.
This is why Global-Local (GloCal) packaging should be an essential component in any global marketing plan, requiring proper due diligence, to carefully understand the local market context and consumer needs.