Scaling internationally

Financial services brands, in particular neo-banks and digitally-enabled FS providers, are increasingly keen to capitalise on growth opportunities that come from expansion into new and emerging geographies.

While offering the right product solution adapted to the needs of the local audience is a given, maintaining the consistent core brand narrative that has already been built requires leveraging a "glocal" approach to communications.

What’s happening?

HSBC, of course, trailblazed this glocal approach, with its “world’s local bank” positioning. More recently, newer brands such as Stripe have also tailored solutions and campaigns to location-specific pain points. The brand retaining consistency in its positioning as a platform “built for developers, by developers”, across 47 markets.

What’s next?

As brands battle for share of wallet and voice, marketers will need to prioritise customer-first approaches to their communications strategy. Whether through localised storytelling – adapting the brand story to cultural narratives, leveraging regional ambassadors or local influencers, or content optimisation that tests variations to understand what resonates locally.

Marketer takeaway...

The attraction of new, untapped geographical markets is strong. Brands that successfully expand will be those that ensure a nuanced, insight-led approach to their communications strategy that resonates with local customer needs, and complements a strong, consistent core brand proposition in order to genuinely deliver a glocal brand experience.

This blog comes from our recent insight paper ‘Signals’, which includes fourteen thought pieces from departmental experts at Teamspirit on emerging trends, opportunities - and how marketers can stay ahead of them. You can download the full ‘Signals’ report here.