Marketing Around the World

Whether you're writing a marketing plan or looking for fresh takes on marketing themes, check out these selected sites featuring marketing ideas and information from around the world.

• Creative - From Think with Google, a gallery with graphics and coverage of the latest in the marriage of marketing and technology. 
• Asahi Shimbun business pages - See what Japanese businesses are doing with new products and new marketing.
• The Guardian UK business - Coverage, by the UK newspaper, of business and news in the UK and beyond.
• Canadian Business - Just what the publication title says: news about marketing, entrepreneurship, and finance in the world of Canadian business. 
• Business Day - from the Sydney Morning Herald, business and marketing in Australia and the region.
• Advertising Around the World - As shown above, Pinterest board with ads from everywhere.

You can use key words like "global marketing" or "advertising around the world" to search out other sites on your own. Try different searches (and click on "web" results or "news" results to look at different lists of results).

Starting a Buzz about Tokyo Bento

Toridoll, a Japanese restaurant company based in Kobe, has just opened its first Tokyo Bento restaurant in Gardena, California, via its U.S. subsidiary, Dream Dining. The menu features bento-style teriyaki dishes updated with contemporary touches like international dipping sauces (Peruvian Salsa, for one). The idea is to offer a quick, complete meal in one container (a takeout version of the traditional lacquered bento box). The bento concept also differentiates Tokyo Bento from competitors in the ethnic and casual dining markets.

Of course social media such as Facebook are key elements in Tokyo Bento's marketing, presumably for budget reasons and to enhance that sense of discovery when early adopters try something new and novel. Positive word of mouth is a very powerful marketing tool for a new venture, particularly in the restaurant business, because consumers generally put a lot of weight on recommendations by friends and colleagues. And social media can accelerate the buzz, with posts about Tokyo Bento's opening and the comments of consumers who've tasted its food.

Late in February, the company posted its first Facebook message and kept up a steady stream of photos, news, and coupons to build anticipation ahead of the official opening. Similarly, its Instagram feed showed photos of the restaurant in various stages of completion and then photos of customers enjoying their bento meals. The Twitter feed is still reminding followers of special promotions that take the financial risk out of trying a new restaurant.

Toridoll has ambitious plans for Tokyo Bento, projecting 100 additional U.S. locations within three years and 300 within five years, thanks to franchising. Meanwhile, the restaurant's U.S. website invites consumers to join the mailing list and be informed about new locations and promotions. Can Tokyo Bento successfully translate a differentiated restaurant experience and social media buzz into long-term California success?

Marketing Baseball's Opening Day(s)

When Casey was at the bat, baseball had one opening day in spring. Today, Major League Baseball is an international industry, and opening day often takes place far away from the home country of the Coney Island hot dog.

Since 1999, when "opening day" was in Mexico, baseball has played season openers in Japan and other nations.In 2014, the opener featured the Arizona Diamondbacks playing the L.A. Dodgers in a cricket stadium in Sydney, Australia (above), the first time baseball has opened down under. MLB's SVP for international operations told the Sydney Morning Herald: "We want to play in developing baseball markets and hopefully give the sport a boost to grow." Although the Diamondbacks lost the two Australian openers to the Dodgers, hundreds of Arizona fans went along for the journey, enjoying the Sydney sights and the unique setting for a baseball opener.

MLB's domestic opener was in prime-time on Sunday night, followed by days of openers at local stadiums from coast to coast. Each team has its own opening-day marketing plan. The Red Sox have a countdown clock on their home page, for example, plus fan contests to win tickets and tweets with special hashtags to build excitement. The Yankees are promoting their phenom pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, direct from Japan, among other marketing initiatives.

MLB has a special "grand openings" blog to cover every opening day in every market. And, in a clever move, Budweiser beer is teaming up with MLB to encourage fans to sign a petition requesting an official "opening day holiday" in the U.S.

Batter up!

Can Clorox Clean Up in Other Countries?

Clorox, nearing its 100th birthday, is facing intense competitive pressure in the United States, where recession-weary consumers are still squeezing everything they can from every dollar they spend. To keep growing, the company sees increased profit potential in international markets, both close to home and halfway around the world. For example, it's launched an outreach initiative in Quebec, building on local interest in hockey.

Developing nations in Asia and elsewhere are another important target for Clorox. In a recent interview with McKinsey Quarterly, the company's EVP-International points to the rapid growth of demand in emerging economies and the firm's drive to become #1 or #2 in product categories where it can achieve price premiums.

However, P&G and Unilever have long histories of marketing in developing nations, where they've built strong brand images and solid distribution networks. Can Clorox wipe away the competition in emerging markets and profit from its international strategy?