International branding: demand– or supply‐driven opportunity?

Differing views prevail about whether to standardize or adapt international brands. Postulates that the international brand decision should be based on standardizing the brand′s core essence across countries and assessing the extent to which its execution requires local adaptation. To facilitate such an assessment proposes a demand‐supply model. The appropriateness of this model was tested against a Eurocom study and through in‐depth interviews with managers of successful pan‐European brands. The model incorporates most of the factors elicited. There was clear support for maintaining the core essence of the brand across countries and only adapting its execution to accommodate local differences.