It’s no secret that global brands can spend millions on branding, packaging and marketing campaigns while brokering deals with retailers to secure premium retail positioning. Global brands have long enjoyed all the benefits of mass production such as cheaper unit costs, bulk distribution and the ability to dominate shelf space through sheer volume, all of which are typically out of reach for smaller local businesses. However, thanks to changing consumer habits and innovations in digital print technology, small to medium businesses now have an increased focus on both branding and customer communications, and greater ability to make it work for them.
While having a one-for-all global design can be an effective brand strategy for packaging, in local markets consumers are likely to have different behaviours or preferences. Despite having the advantage of volume and reach, global brands don’t always get it right.