• International Herald Tribune, Tuesday, January 13, 2009 11 AM

It may be easier than ever to build a global brand, thanks to modern transportation and communication options (not to mention the globalization of Western culture) but that doesn't mean that consumers will come. In fact, there is no such thing as a global brand, says Millward Brown's chief global analyst, Nigel Hollis. "Even the likes of Coca-Cola have their weak links -- it lags behind Pepsi in India, for example," writes Eric Pfanner.

Only 3% of more than 10,000 brands that Millward Brown tracks show in seven or more countries. And even brands like McDonalds, whose arches span the world, have learned that they have to adapt to local tastes.

That doesn't mean global campaigns never work. Apple's iPod, featuring silhouetted dancers gyrating against colorful backdrops, was enormously successful, but technology has an advantage over a more personal product (Unilever sells the same deodorant around the world under different names, for example.) The Global Brand, How To Create and Develop Lasting Brand Value in the World Market has been on sale in the U.S. since the fall; Hollis' blog presumably generates interaction global interactions and gooses ongoing sales.

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