The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

18 THE LAW OF BORDERS

 

There are no barriers to global branding. A brand should know no borders.

In our consulting work we find that most clients strongly believe two things:

1. Their brands’ market shares cannot be substantially increased in their home countries.
2. They need to grow.

As a result of these ironclad beliefs, they insist on expanding their brands into other categories. “It’s the only way to grow,” they say.

So they fall victim to the first law of branding, the law of expansion. “Sure,” they say. “Expanding our line may be dangerous, but it’s the only way to grow.”

It’s not the only way to grow. In fact, the perfect solution to achieving both goals is to build a global brand. That means:

• Keep the brand’s narrow focus in its home country. ...