The Middle East and North Africa (MENA), blending ancient cultures and dynamic societies, is considered one of the richest sources for creating unique brand identities. However, local brands in this region that aim to convey their culture and local values to the global consumer often face challenges arising from the difference between the values and expectations of local and global cultures. In this context, understanding cultural differences is the key to the success of local brands in global markets. Brands from the MENA region entering international markets must balance their cultural identity and the expectations of global consumers. On the other hand, globalization of brand experience can be a powerful tool to bridge this gap and create a brand compatible with both local roots and global appeal. This article examines how and with what tools the globalization of brand experience can manage this challenge so that MENA brands can succeed in global markets while preserving their identity.
Cultural Gap Between Local and Global Markets
The gap between local and global cultures is one of the fundamental challenges for brands seeking to enter international markets. This gap arises when local consumers’ values, norms, and expectations do not align with global expectations and standards. This mismatch can create multiple barriers to the globalization of brands. Barriers such as:
● Lack of Understanding or Acceptance of Brand Culture in Global Markets
Local brands often build their identity based on their community’s values and cultural beliefs. This identity may seem unfamiliar or even irrelevant to global consumers. If global audiences cannot connect with the brand’s identity or message, they cannot position themselves correctly in these markets.
● Misinterpretation of Brand Identity
Cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of a brand’s message, which can tarnish the brand’s credibility. If the message is misinterpreted, global consumers may reject the brand or even distance themselves from it.
● The challenge is Standardizing and Adapting Products.
Brands must balance maintaining local authenticity with adapting to global standards. Failure to achieve this balance can lead to failure in global markets. Thus, if the brand’s product or service does not align with the needs and standards of the global market, the brand cannot compete.
● Differences in Values and Expectations
The values and expectations of global consumers may conflict with the brand’s local values. If the brand fails to meet these expectations, its acceptance in international markets will decline.
● Competing with Global Brands
Global brands often have a unified identity and message that are familiar and appealing to audiences worldwide. Local brands may struggle against these brands due to their cultural limitations. Local brands that cannot globalize their identity and message cannot compete with global rivals. On the other hand, one of the most serious challenges for indigenous brands in competing with international brands arises when global brands present internationally compliant yet logically aligned values through integrated products and services to local markets.
Globalizing Brand Experience; Storytelling
Globalizing brand experience refers to adapting and enhancing elements of the brand experience to align with the needs, values, and expectations of audiences in global markets. This strategy helps brands highlight their identity and values internationally while maintaining authenticity and connecting with global audiences. Brands seeking to expand into international markets can strengthen their identity globally through the globalization of brand experience by adapting stores, products, and values to global and local needs, thereby creating a lasting and engaging experience for diverse audiences.
The Importance of Globalizing Brand Experience
● Reaching New Audiences
Brands can attract more markets by creating experiences that appeal to different cultures and communities.
● Creating a Unified Identity
Globalizing brand experience ensures that brands are seen in a cohesive and coordinated manner worldwide.
● Competitiveness
Brands that present their customer experiences globally have a better chance of competing with international markets.
Global Storytelling
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for creating meaningful and practical connections between local and global cultures. This technique plays a key role in globalizing brand experience as it can effectively bridge the gap between Indigenous values and global expectations. What should happen through storytelling in the globalization of brand experience includes:
● Translating Indigenous Culture into a Global Language
Storytelling can narrate local cultural elements in understandable ways to global audiences.
● Creating Emotional Connections over Human Values
Stories serve as strong bridges for building emotional connections due to their human and emotional nature. A story can foster a sense of closeness among global audiences by addressing shared human values such as love, effort, or innovation.
● Transforming Indigenous Experiences into Global Solutions
A story can turn indigenous values and solutions for common human challenges and issues.
● Familiarizing Indigenous Culture in the Collective Unconscious
A story can target shared hidden values across diverse cultures and establish cultural discourse within itself.
Strategy for Utilizing Storytelling Archetypes in Creating Global Narratives
Storytelling archetypes refer to the recurring patterns and templates in stories shaped by shared human experiences, values, and emotions. Using these archetypes in branding and brand communications, especially in culturally diverse areas like MENA, can play a key role in bridging the gap between local and global cultures. In fact, these narrative patterns or plots are familiar and universal structures that can serve as an impactful strategy for brand storytelling and effectively conveying its values. The key role of storytelling archetypes in globalizing brand experiences includes:
● Building a Bridge Between Cultures
Storytelling archetypes are based on shared human values, such as courage, love, effort, and transformation. These archetypes help brands present local concepts in a global context. Conversely, narratives that align with universal archetypes reinforce a sense of trust among audiences.
● Simplifying Cultural Concepts
Storytelling archetypes can express complex cultural concepts in a simple and understandable format. Narrating a local story using the “Hero’s Journey” archetype, which portrays a journey from challenge to victory, can translate the cultural message into a global language.
● Strengthing Brand Identity
Narrative patterns can help brands define their identity in a tangible and lasting way. By using these patterns, a brand can present cultural concepts to audiences coherently and engagingly.
● Increasing Cultural Understanding and Acceptance
Using narrative patterns allows brands to universally narrate their values and cultural heritage without creating a sense of alienation in audiences. Stories that utilize familiar patterns are understood and remembered more quickly.
● Enhancing Brand Cohesion in Diverse Markets
By using narrative patterns, brands can convey their messages unified across local and global markets. This cohesion allows the brand to be perceived simultaneously in both local and international markets.
Case Study: Amouage Perfume Brand and the Use of Story Patterns and Plots
The Amouage brand has cleverly utilized global plots in its storytelling to influence both local and global audiences. These plots introduce products and narrate their connection to history, culture, and human values.
1. The “Hero’s Journey”
This plot is one of the common patterns in storytelling. It involves a journey undertaken by the main character (or its symbol) to achieve a noble goal or discover the truth.
– Application in the Amouage Brand
Amouage has employed this plot in introducing its “Epic” perfume collection. The story of these perfumes refers to the journeys of historical merchants who traversed Oman and the trade routes of the Middle East, bringing valuable goods such as frankincense is introduced as the “hero “ in this story, embarking on a long and adventurous journey to convey values and culture.
– Global Message
This global plot conveys a sense of discovery and adventure to the audience while preserving the brand’s Omani identity.
2. The “Rising from Ashes” (Rags to Riches)
This plot tells stories in which a character or a symbol rises from poverty or obscurity to greatness and success.
– Application in the Amouage Brand
This plot has redefined the history of Omani frankincense. Once known only as a local material, frankincense is now the most valuable ingredient in global luxury perfumery. Amouage has shown through its perfumes how a simple local heritage can symbolize global luxury.
– Global Message
This plot creates a deep emotional connection with audiences through a message of success and cultural elevation on an international level.
Why Have Storytelling Plots Been Successful for Amouage?
● Globalization of local concepts
Plots serve as a common language between different cultures and convey understandable concepts in every culture.
● Creating Emotional Connections
These patterns evoke shared human emotions such as courage, adventure, and success.
● Establishing Brand Identity
The use of these plots has helped Amouage present its local stories in a universally enduring way.
Conclusion
The cultural gap between local and global markets can be a significant barrier for brands on the path to globalization. However, brands that can translate their cultural values into global language reduce this gap and stand out as representatives of their culture in global markets.
In this regard, the globalization of brand experience is a process that helps brands adjust and adapt their values, stories, and identities in an attractive and acceptable way to international markets. Brands that provide a global yet personal and cultural experience can leverage this strategy to access new markets, increase customer loyalty, and enhance their position among competitors. By reducing cultural gaps and creating a cohesive yet adaptable identity, brands can emerge internationally as ambassadors of their culture in today’s competitive world.
In this context, storytelling is a flexible and effective tool for narrating local cultures in a way that is understandable and appealing to the world. This method not only fills cultural gaps but also aids in brand differentiation, enhances customer experience, and fosters deep, lasting connections. Utilizing narrative frameworks allows brands to convey their cultural messages in a global language with a strong emotional resonance. This approach not only reduces the gap between local and international cultures but also helps brands act as a cultural bridge in diverse markets.
