CM Pros Fall 2006 Summit: Content Management and the World Enterprise

"Thinking globally but acting locally is the recipe for success in today's marketplace". Sounds good, but what does it actually mean? What are the practical implications?

Finally, we have asset and content management systems that are able to control every aspect of the information we communicate both within and outside our companies. We can ensure that only the most recent version of a document is used and that the right graphics go with the right copy in the right places. We can deliver the right information to the right person at the right time, anywhere -- which means we can now conquer niche markets all over the world. Doesn't it?

Well........, no. That's not all it takes. Artificial intelligence would help but we'd still have to teach it the appropriate rules. We'd still need to understand what "local" really means.

A campaign targeted at "every day" Americans used to be considered perfectly fine for global markets. Then an automobile named NOVA was launched. The company became a laughing stock. They were selling a car that "doesn't go". Not an appealing product for Spanish speaking countries or even for the huge Spanish speaking population in the US.

Many companies still think that throwing in a few references to local venues will make content and products "local". Or, if content is translated into another language, it becomes completely localized. Certainly, language translation is possibly the single most important factor, especially if translation includes all of the various "dialects" of English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese and so on. But a multitude of other items needs to be taken into consideration as well -- not only to entice people to buy, but also to avoid offending them.

Living in a country with two official languages and cultures makes me aware of "multi" requirements, but there is much more to explore. For instance, does an image with a positive connotation in North America have the same meaning in China? Are there standards for the meaning of colors? Do they convey the same meaning to different cultures? Are there religious issues that must be considered? And what about accessibility for people with impairments?

At this roundtable, we will brainstorm about what "thinking global and acting local" really means. What common mistakes do marketers make and how do you avoid them? Our non-North American participants will have much to contribute to this conversation.

The results of our sharing and brainstorming will be captured in a report and posted on the CM PROS website after the Summit.