Why global marketing is harder than it looks: culture, society and business

Imagine launching the same advert in two different countries… and one loves it while the other hates it.

Nothing about the product has changed, the price is the same, and the brand is the same.

So what went wrong?

This is one of the biggest challenges businesses face when they operate globally. What works in one country does not automatically work in another, and marketing is often where things fall apart first.

Before reading on, it’s worth watching this short video, which explains why cultural and social differences matter so much in global marketing.

Why “one-size-fits-all” marketing rarely works

Different countries have different cultures, values and social norms. Things like language, humour, colours and traditions can mean completely different things depending on where you are.

A slogan that sounds clever in English might sound confusing once translated.An advert that feels friendly in one culture could feel inappropriate in another.

This is why global marketing is not just about selling products. It is about understanding people.

What successful global businesses do instead

Successful global businesses usually keep the same core brand but adapt how it is presented in different countries.

They might change:

• the images they use

• the tone or language

• the values they focus on

This helps the marketing feel local and relevant, rather than forced or out of place. It’s the difference between being global and thinking locally.

Why this matters for business students

This example shows that marketing decisions are closely linked to culture and society. It helps explain why businesses cannot simply copy and paste campaigns across countries, and why research and understanding customers is so important when operating internationally.

In exams, this kind of thinking helps you explain why businesses adapt marketing strategies, not just what they do.

Put simply, global marketing is not about being everywhere, it is about being understood everywhere!

Questions to think about as a business student

1. Why might a marketing campaign that works well in one country fail in another?

2. Why is understanding culture so important for businesses operating globally?

Extension: In pairs, come up with one example of a product and country where using the same marketing as the UK would go wrong and justify why.