Brand New View

TEDx Conference Shanghai

I had the good fortune to speak at the TEDx conference in Shanghai on May 15. Called TedxFiveStarSquare (http://www.tedxfivestarsquare.com/), it was a remarkable event with an amazing range of speakers and attendees. My topic was about ‘Stateless Brands’-which are organizations that have transcended the confines of home country boundaries and associations, elevating and shaping their reputations in a way that appeals to a wide audience around the world and, most importantly, are recognized for making meaning, and not just products. Once the final videos are uploaded to the TED site, I will provide links in my blog and website. Nearly 500 people attended, so the turnout was strong. The experiences the other speakers shared were inspiring to say the least. From David Redic (who wrote President Obama’s Presidential theme) to Danielle Ruan of CocoMat China to Frank Yu of Kwestr, and many more, this TEDx conference did what all TED conferences do--stimulated, provoked and delighted all. Peter Yao was the promoter responsible for this event and he did a world class job. It is easy to see why TED has become one of the most influential events in the world-the range of talent it attracts is nothing short of extraordinary. TED is one of the more remarkable ‘brands’ in the global events marketplace.

 

Brand Distinction-Context

Developing brand distinction requires management to understand the market conditions in which their brand competes. Ignoring or minimizing the market’s competitive dynamics puts any brand planning activities at risk of missing important opportunities and/or insufficiently differentiated. Even when a brand is succeeding in its home market, there is no ironclad guarantee such a performance will easily transfer into a new market. Furthermore, today’s faster paced business environment often pushes management to make decisions while lacking a relevant understanding of the new environment in which they seek to grow. While serendipity can certainly play a role, learning more about the business context in which the brand is about to be exposed will boost confidence that the right factors are being considered before implementation. As Western companies move more aggressively to develop growth opportunities in Asia, the practices that facilitated success at home would not work, and might even backfire, in many Asian countries due partly to the unique cultural complexities that define and animate relationship development. Asian companies seeking to move into Western markets confront a different set of challenges: how to offer differentiated value against competitors that have spent decades honing their reputations in their home markets. In both cases, learning the nuances associated with the new market context will reduce the risk. But to extend practices and expand products to another country just because they worked well at home is likely to lead to failure.