Mr. Hill

Architecture & Design

Adapting Your Brand for Global Markets

By Roger G. Hill , Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, The Gettys Group Inc.

As global markets continue to emerge and change the business landscape, suddenly it matters not only that your product "Plays in Peoria," but also that it "Plays in Phuket". Planning and strategizing to secure your place in this increasingly competitive world market is essential but can also be daunting.

With China continuing its boom, and India's middle class having taken their place as the next big spenders, everyone wants a piece of the global pie and the hospitality industry is at the forefront. As we contemplate this growth, the questions become overwhelming. How do you carve out your niche in the global market? How do you ensure that your brand resonates in another culture? How do you pitch your idea in a way that captures the imagination of another society?

One of the biggest challenges to break into the international market is recognizing, preparing for, and embracing the differences between the hospitality industry in the U.S. and other countries around the globe. Distinguishing the differences among these different cultures is vital and recognizing and adapting to the needs will place you way ahead of the pack as you go global.

Thinking Globally is Thinking Locally

In other words, don't knock off your approach in the States when you take your brand abroad, but instead design your product with the specific needs of the locality in mind. I am often surprised how few take the time to know the culture that they're going to be working in before they go to that ever-important first meeting. When we attend a pitch in a country that we haven't visited before, my associates and I travel at least 3 days in advance of the meeting. We eat in the restaurants, stay in the hotels, tour the streets and, again, talk to as many people as we can. What we find so often in the Hospitality Industry overseas is that our clients are uninterested in having us reproduce what we have created in the United States, in their country. Instead, they want the same tenets of the brands that we bring abroad re-created especially for their culture.

For example, a hotel project that we are currently working on in Abu Dhabi wanted a full bar in their lobby, but, as familiar as we were with their culture, our designers were already programmed to understand that the bar would have to be hidden in such a way that the alcohol wasn't visible to passers-by. Moreover, the food and beverage outlets needed to be easy to find, 11 months a year, but hidden from view during Ramadan when fasting occurs during daylight hours. Because our team members participate in cultural immersions before beginning a project, they are prepared from the onset to engage with the client from a familiar cultural perspective.

In short, when taking your brand global, never abandon the importance of engaging the local culture and capturing the character of the locale. These two basic ideas will speak volumes as you traverse the global super-highway.

Prepare for a Language Barrier

Certainly, it seems obvious. Of course you'll need some bi-lingual employees, or a plan to use translators as necessary. Or, perhaps there is so much English spoken in the countries in which you're doing business, you think you can skate by...and largely that will be true. However, beware of the nuances of translation. We all recall the famous story when Chevy's hot car, the Nova hit the Mexican market. Of course "no va" translates as "it doesn't go" in Spanish and, while some claim it to be an urban legend, it still makes a great cautionary tale as to what happens when a company overlooks some key due diligence before an international product launch.

So, how do you navigate the language barrier? Find some excellent advisors who live and do business in the country that you're contemplating. When our Gettys office in Hong Kong opened in Fall of 2007, we surrounded ourselves with local communications specialists and other advisors an entire year prior to our office opening. They introduced us to people...who introduced us to people...and so on. We got a chance to share our story and learn how it was going to be perceived so that we could adjust accordingly. As it turns out, one of our core business competencies, procurement, when translated in Chinese meant something entirely different from...well...procurement. Hence, in Asian markets, our tagline was adjusted accordingly and what could have been a major miscommunication, was adverted.

Get Ready for a Technology Boom

As the Middle East and Asian countries grow exponentially, every company, every brand, every project is competing in a crowded marketplace. Each one wants to stay ahead of the pack and, as such, the technology that they use to present ideas or create renderings of new products is cutting edge...and far ahead of what we use in the United States. Power Point and your pencil renderings become obsolete, In the design world, 3D Studio Max is the standard. Production design companies that specialize in creating these renderings are available in excess in Asia and the Middle East, so farming out the work is common, but don't expect to overlook the importance of presenting your ideas in a technologically savvy manner.

These new markets take a great deal of pride in their emergence; and using the newest technology is representative to them of their growing significance in the world's eye. Respecting these technological preferences is paramount.

A Picture tells a Thousand Words

Across oceans. Across cultures. Perhaps merely across a boardroom - a photo of your product, your idea, your property or your pitch will place you far ahead of the game. As Gettys has grown globally, we have found that our client presentations, proposals, advertising and other forms of promotion have relied more than ever on beautiful photography and thus, we have acclimated to this new expectation.

The Bottom Line

International projects stretch successful entrepreneurs far beyond their experiences and comfort zone. With so many U.S.-born brands expanding internationally, it's a terrific learning process that is fun, inspiring, challenging, and at times, humbling but always rewarding. Strike out and plan for what you can, ask questions, share your story and ultimately plan to be flexible as the landscape is ever-changing.

Nearly 25 years ago, Roger Hill co-founded Gettys, a Top 10 hospitality interior design, procurement and development firm. Under his leadership, Gettys has grown to a global team of business-minded professionals who specialize in hotels, resorts, spas, casinos and mixed-used developments the world over. A respected industry veteran, he is frequently called upon by hospitality and business media outlets to provide insight into the redevelopment, renovation, and repositioning of hotels. A graduate of Cornell University, Roger has served as an appointed delegate for the White House Conference on Small Business, and is a member of ULI, YPO and ISHC. Mr. Hill can be contacted at 312-836-1111 or info@gettys.com Extended Bio...

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