Allyson Stewart-Allen presents at The Women in Marketing conference on Globalisation, March 2012 on the US market

1. Marketing in an Uncertain
American Climate
20 March 2012
Allyson Stewart-Allen
Director
International Marketing Partners Ltd.
Grosvenor Gardens House
35/37 Grosvenor Gardens
London SW1W 0BS
Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 9400
E: allyson@intermarketingonline.com
© International Marketing Partners Ltd. 1

2. Why Have You Invited Me?
 Women leaders like you often find America, and
Americans, frustrating
 Consultant, speaker, journalist, author, broadcaster
on the US business culture
– Working with Americans (Pearson)
– Marketing in the USA (UKTI)
 London-based Californian since 1988
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3. Agenda
 Factors driving the climate change
 Reading the mood
 Persistence of the Underlying Values
 Upside of the Climate Change
 Implications: Marketing and
Communications
 Implications: Leadership
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4. Factors Driving the Climate Change
 Highest unemployment rate for at least 60 years
 California highest in the US (12.4%)
 “white collar recession”
 Little job security, healthcare security
 Frustration with politicians, economic revival
tactics (stimulus packages, “QE2”)
 Devaluation of personal assets: pensions, property
 Distrust of traditional institutions: religious,
corporate, government, academic
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5. 5

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7. 7

8. www.despair.com
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9. Factors Driving the Climate Change
 More information about the world and
the US role in it
– Business for Diplomatic Action
– China
– Oil dependence
– Proliferation of devices
• iPad, phones
– Proliferation of outlets
• TV, news aggregators/portals, social media
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10. Factors Driving the Climate Change
 “retirement” a lost dream
– Pension/savings erosions
 Dubious business practices and fraud
– Madoff, BP
– “bankers bonuses”
– creative financial instruments
• CDS, Coco’s (contingent convertible bonds)
 Celebrities as trusted sources
– Oprah, Bono, George Clooney
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11. Reading the Mood
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12. Reading the Mood
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13. Reading the Mood
 Akio Toyoda, Toyota
 Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs
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14. Persistence of the Underlying Values
 Bigger is better
 Diversity
 Equality
 Opportunity
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15. Persistence of the Underlying Values
 Win/win = economics of abundance
 New is improved
 Anything is possible
 Information is free
– Americans speak in questions
 Ready/fire/aim
 the American way/insularity
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16. Persistence of the Underlying Values
 Age and experience not seen to be
correlated
 Monochronic
 Business to be done ethically
– Attitudes to bribery, corruption, fraud
– Banking, pharmaceuticals
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17. Upside of the Climate Change
 It’s never been easier to start a business
 “work/life” balance
 Transparency means companies and practices are
outed
 Multiple careers over the span of working life
– Continuous learning
 Recognition of the power of networks
 Companies pushed to up their game to win
business
– Customers more selective, more promiscuous
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18. Implications: Marketing and
Communications
 Empathy  Reveal allowable flaws
 Seriousness  Be “human”
 Sincerity  Future orientation
 Genuineness  Ignore the digerati at
 Diplomacy your peril
 Think longer-term  Do right by the
 Fill the trust void
customer
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19. Implications: Leadership
 Deliver on your promises
 Manage expectations intentionally
 Be transparent
 Communicate more often, diplomatically
– US business culture values extroversion
 Help teams cope with stress
– Clinical depression
 Keep people focused on the goals
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20. Comments? Questions?
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21. Marketing in an Uncertain
American Climate
20 March 2012
Allyson Stewart-Allen
Director
International Marketing Partners Ltd.
Grosvenor Gardens House
35/37 Grosvenor Gardens
London SW1W 0BS
Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 9400
E: allyson@intermarketingonline.com
© International Marketing Partners Ltd. 21