Colgate Max Fresh (CMF), a new toothpaste formula with patented breath-freshening technology, had been introduced in the U.S. and was in the global pipeline for 2005. Nigel Burton, president of global oral care at Colgate-Palmolive Company (CP), had on his desk the proposed marketing launch plans for CMF in China and Mexico. Each plan sought to maximize business potential in the local market. Burton needed to assess these plans from a global perspective, and he wondered if the benefits of adapting the marketing programs in each country outweighed the costs. TAKEAWAY: •Global marketing strategy involves understanding and addressing differences across markets, the dilemma arises when trying to balance the global brand and appeal to distinct regions. Successful global marketing campaigns leverage similarities to preserve a consistent message and limit costs while also customizing advertising to align with regional cultural preferences. •Four types of forces drive the globalization of marketing and brands 1.Market drivers (global customers, common customer needs, sometimes subjective in nature "cooling crystals" vs. "icy fresh") 2.Cost drivers (economies of scale potential of campaigns, Colgate could not use celebrity of Emily Procter across all channels, tradeoff for pop star Jay Chow for opportunistic locations) 3.Competitive drivers (global competitors, first mover advantage or counter threats from competitor innovation, ex: Mexico cannibalization of existing products to secure position) 4.Government drivers (regulation, censorship, inability to mention competitors by name) •When deciding which countries to enter first, a company should consider the potential for organizational learning •In order to purposefully grow global brand equity, must be able to: -Identify the antecedents of brand value -Set objectives for brand development -Allocate resources across products and...Colgate Max Fresh's (CMF) introduction to the US market drove Colgate-Palmolive's (CP) US market's value share up to 34.8% ahead from Procter & Gamble (P&G) at 2nd place with 31.6% value share. Nigel Burton, CP's president for global oral care division is tasked to run the marketing of CMF in China and Mexico and is wondering if the product will generate enough sales to cover the costs of adapting CMF to the respective local markets. Burton also needs to check if there is a fit in terms of product benefits with the local consumers' needs; Will CMF strengthen the overall CP brand franchise? How should CP respond to P&G's introduction of Crest Whitening Expressions (CWE) toothpaste in China and Mexico? Assessing the US market conditions From Table B in the case, CP and P&G are on a head to head competition for the 2004 value share of toothpaste market with 34.8% and 31.6% value share respectively. Exhibit 2A shows that in terms of US Market Toothpaste Benefit Importance, cosmetics benefits such as 'breath freshening' and 'whitening' are at 3rd...
