What’s unique about the great nation, however, is how these different backgrounds have mixed and continue to influence the mainstream of US culture.

To get a picture of this cultural mix, it’s worth looking at a few figures from the 2010 US census. This figure shows the race breakdown of the United States as a whole.

(This chart is borrowed from the 2010 Census: United State Profile. For other and more detailed demographic information, see the US Census 2010.)

Based on a total population of 311 million, cultural diversity is as follows:

• 50.7 million Hispanic or Latino
• 39.1 million African Americans
• 14.9 million Asian Americans
• 2.8 million American Indians or Alaska Native
• 19.2 million of other race

But this is only part of the picture. From city to city and state to state, the breakdown looks very different. In the State of California, for example, which has a population of 37.3 million, more than a third (14 million) are Hispanic.

And as if this diversity isn’t enough to consider, the make-up of US society is continually changing:

• More than half of the growth in the total population of the United States between 2000 and 2010 was due to the increase in the Hispanic population
• The Asian population grew faster than any other major race group between 2000 and 2010
• Many people consider themselves of multiple races

Who is your US target audience?

It’s clear that even with so-called minorities, you may be dealing with populations larger than any other demographic group you’ve approached before – and larger than many single countries. Of course, this is part of what makes the US such an attractive market. Not only is this massive cultural diversity one of the reasons the US offers so much opportunity, but it also highlights the challenge of adapting your message.

But if the key to creating effective messages is understanding the audience, how do you accurately profile the average American? He could just as easily be a Puerto Rican in Brooklyn or Scandinavian in Minnesota. She might be an Asian rapper in Miami or an African-American surfer in San Diego. Because of this diversity, we can’t assume we know how Americans think, or that they’re like anyone else. The makeup of American society is so very different to the rest of the world; it’s too big and diverse for a single message.

This is perhaps the first major hurdle to overcome, particularly if you are used to targeting a market that you are familiar with and that thinks the same as you do. In particular, it can be difficult for companies from mono-cultural countries as they are simply not used to bringing diversity into their marketing strategies.

It comes as no surprise, then, that perhaps the most important aspect of communicating to US markets is demographic research. Knowing exactly who you’re trying to reach is half the battle.

Here are a few resources to get you started on how to consider diverse demographics in your marketing:

Overview of new Census data about the changing consumer profiles in the US

How changes in the economy are changing American consumers

Nielsen’s overview (and downloadable report) on the African-American consumer

In-depth look at how brands are targeting US Hispanic markets

Revealing data on how the “average” American consumer spends his paycheck

There are a lot of stereotypes about Americans, but one of the most prominent is their ignorance of other countries. Can most Americans tell the difference between Denmark, Holland and Belarus? Possibly not. Do they think that Norway is the capital of Stockholm? Possibly yes.

Many Americans do have an affinity for foreign things and have positive associations with “European quality,” but this is often a vast generalization. And, it tends to be only the major, more high-end brands such as Rolex and BMW that enjoy the benefits of this association. Ask a little deeper and many Americans may not know which European country these brands come from.

Prove yourself

The US director of a Danish company with US offices in Texas admitted, “You are a nobody when you come to the US. No one cares that you come from another country and may have another way of doing things. We have to prove ourselves.”

So when a foreign company tries to sell its products or services in the US, it will struggle if it attempts to base its marketing messages on the assumption that people know (or care) about its national heritage, and cultural and business values. Phrases such as “based on clean Scandinavian design values” will only create confusion unless these values are communicated specifically and in a relevant way. (Even then, will Americans actually see these design values as a benefit?)

Make a reference to “Danish quality,” and your US audience might wonder if you’re in the pastry-baking business.

Storytelling gone wrong

In the mid-00s, one Danish valve manufacturer had this message on its website: “Like ripples on a pond from the island of fairytales.” What was the relevance of this? They were trying to relate the business to some aspect of Denmark’s cultural heritage where it simply didn’t fit. If it was an attempt at storytelling, it was incomplete, and the audience was left without a clear understanding of how this connected with the company’s products. On the face of it, it was lazy marketing. Unfortunately, companies that do not allocate sufficient resources to marketing are often guilty of this type of irrelevant cultural message.

The whole reason for making these claims and references, of course, is so you can make a deeper connection with your audience beyond the actual marketing message. Almost everyone in Scandinavia will understand the importance of “Scandinavian design values,” which means there are things you as the marketer don’t need to say. When it is possible to make these connections, these messages are effective in communicating several underlying benefits and features in just a few words.

But Americans will not have any associations with this message, so it will just create a distance between you and your audience and make it even harder for you to motivate them to engage with your brand.

Don’t assume too much

Still, it is tempting to use these simple and culturally familiar messages. It may seem like a way of differentiating the brand and giving it uniqueness in a foreign market. And “borrowing” these messages means that you don’t have to come up with your own.

What’s a better way for a new brand from a European country to overcome these challenges in the US market? You really need to start with the assumption that your audience knows nothing about your country. Your foreignness is not an advantage; don’t rely on your country to create your product benefits and your story – create these yourself, based on your specific values, benefits and goals. Find out about your audience and in particular the decision-makers and influencers in the buying process. In order to create messages that motivate and engage them, you need to meet them at their level and understand what’s important to them.

Relate personally

Contrary to popular belief, business decision makers are not automatons; they are individuals who have personal preferences, desires and motivations. They can be influenced by many different things, and you will save a lot of time and money by finding out as much as you can about them.

This is good advice in any industry, and most cultures. However, in more homogenous countries, there is broad convergence about business values and decision-making criteria, particularly amongst B2B buyers. In the US, of course, it may not be wise to treat all your B2B buyers the same; there can be vast differences in the way people do business and respond to marketing messages.

For example, the key buyer from the company you are pitching to in the US might have a specific regional or cultural heritage that could influence his or her decisions. Do you know what the appropriate social etiquettes and business values are? Are you ready to do the kind of small talk that might be necessary to build rapport? What messages and approach might make a real difference in your proposal being accepted?

As a foreigner, part of “proving” yourself is establishing effective ways relate to Americans. And, with regard to diversity in the US, you can never be too prepared for effective personal communication.

Can you imagine an American business executive standing back and letting others form their own opinions about his or her company? It’s just not the American way. To make an impression in the US, you have no choice but to meet them at their level: with confidence, ready to talk clearly about benefits and how your products meet their needs.

In some countries, modesty and quiet confidence are positive values in business. But in the US, modesty is not a value. Carlsberg’s now outdated, but forever classic, Danish understatement (“Probably the best…”) would render your product stillborn in an American market. Simply put, Budweiser is the “King of Beers.”

Equality or equal opportunity?
In Denmark, you don’t need to go far to see a billboard advertisement claiming that a product is just a “little” better than the rest.

“Local and a little better”

“a little more than the usual”

“a little better break”

These simple examples indicate big differences in the psyches of Danes and Americans. In a 2002 article published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Michelle R. Nelson and Sharon Shavitt conclude that Americans rate achievement highly, whereas Danes “look down on conspicuous success and braggarts.”  Americans believe that everyone has the equal right to be successful – Danes believe that everyone is equal.

Americans aspire to and appreciate success, and it is quite natural to show off and talk about your achievements. But many Danes have difficulty stepping up to this. “Whereas a rags-to-riches American Dream story emphasizes competitive behaviors to rise above others, the [Danish] Janteloven rewards modesty and blending into the group,” say Nelson and Shavitt.

Understanding these differences will help you create an effective strategy for approaching the US market.

Modesty does not inspire confidence
To make an impact without compromising modesty, some marketers like to find clever, “intellectual” marketing messages in the hope that people will be able to see the benefits. In countries where modesty is preferred, this can work as people are used to deciphering messages and understanding implied benefits. Perhaps this is the reason behind Carlsberg’s clever and humorous “Probably the best beer” claim, which, however, created doubt in millions of peoples’ minds for many years.

The US audience is different. They expect messages to be direct and bold and the benefits to be spelled out overtly. Budweiser’s “best-selling beer” claim carries a simple message that people understand immediately.

So although a modest, underplayed approach reflects of common values and norms of behavior in Denmark, it is likely to put up a barrier to success on the US stage. In fact, a modest approach in the US may even have the opposite effect, being perceived as lack of enthusiasm and lack of self-belief. This won’t inspire confidence in a potential buyer, and if there’s one thing a B2B buyer wants to see, it is that you have absolute confidence in what you are selling.

Remember: your competitors will not hesitate to make bold claims and communicate overt benefits.

Back up that bold statement
But confidence, in this case, is not the end of the story. Once you have hooked the attention of a potential US buyer, you need to be able to back it up with details, evidence and service. If you have a unique, innovative technology, for example, make sure your audience can find out everything they need to know about it – through their preferred communication channels.

And when they finally engage with you, be ready to provide the service to back up your claims. Your contacts in the US will expect a high level of tolerance, service and, above all, availability. Just like Americans, customer service never takes a holiday.

The language of service in the US is also decidedly different from the language of product. It is yet another great American marketing paradox: the product says, “You need me” while service says, “I need you.” It is here where the directness and honesty of other cultures often clashes with American service values. When communicating your service message to Americans, you are prompt, you are committed and you are complimentary.

Remember: the customer, whether B2C or B2B, is always right in the States – even when they’re excruciatingly wrong.

By Kathryn Casey

I drink Coke for medicinal purposes only, I kicked my Marlboro habit years ago, and my assortment of Apple products has quadrupled in three years. My loyalty to these brands is best described as fickle, but to me they represent something quintessentially American. But in terms of brand, what does being American actually mean?

“America is not a country, it’s an idea… it’s a place where you can be what you want to be,” says Martyn Shaw, president of the consultancy Interbrand. “American brands are about anything being possible—the core value of all of them is optimism.” In other words, how are American brands succeeding? They’re selling the American Dream.

Marlboro country

Marlboro brought us the number one advertising icon of the 20^th century, the Marlboro Man. A rugged cowboy riding through Marlboro country, he encapsulated adventure, rebellion and freedom on TV and in print. But due to increasing legal pressure on tobacco advertising, Marlboro producer Philip Morris was forced to find new ways to communicate with consumers.

Event and bar giveaways, a website with a mailing database estimated to contain up to 30 million contacts, price promotions and competitions where the winners get to visit the Marlboro ranch are just a few examples of how they’re keeping in touch with their customers. In short, what they’ve done is to create a brand movement.

According to Nanette Byrnes at Bloomberg Businessweek, “Marlboro isn’t just a brand, it’s an exclusive club for its devotees, who wouldn’t miss an opportunity for a discount and often feel victimized by social pressure and no-smoking laws.” And with over 42 percent of the US cigarette market, the Marlboro movement seems to be a smoking success.

The world buys a Coke

A consumer favorite since 1886, Coca-Cola dressed Santa Claus in company colors and taught the world to sing. The brand is ubiquitous and claims that its name is the second most understood term in the world after “OK.”

Quick to embrace consumer needs and trends, and with an overwhelming cadre of flavors worldwide, Coke constantly changes bottle sizes and designs – with Karl Lagerfeld creating the latest designer bottle sleeve. And they’ve been quick to embrace a fan-based approach to social media, where members are part of an ongoing relationship with the brand. Consumer-generated content plays a key part in all the brands social communities. Fans upload images of where they last enjoyed a Coke, and participate in “Live Positively” where readers can vote for their favorite park and nominate community leaders for a chance to carry the Olympic flag in London next year. The brand’s 33.5 million-plus likes on Facebook are hardly a surprise.

The brand with bite

The most admired company in the United States from 2008, and globally from 2008 to 2010, Apple has cornered brand loyalty like no other. And as the story goes, when you buy an Apple product, you buy an experience.

Fortune’s Most Admired Companies issue had this to say: “This is the company that changed the way we do everything from buy music to design products to engage with the world around us. Its track record for innovation and fierce consumer loyalty translates into tremendous respect across business’ highest ranks.” Which explains why it’s the fastest growing retailer in the US today. And Apple has made it look easy.

Cracking the code

The huge US retail market may appear attractive and relatively straightforward from a distance, but it’s a seriously tough nut to crack. A lot of foreign brands die in the US because they give America something that Americans can do better. For every newcomer success, there are many failures. But European brands such as Heineken, H&M and BMW are doing very well in the States. So how did H&M crack the US code?

For a start, although the US might seem like a fairly homogeneous market with one language and one culture, it’s actually quite a complex place. According to leading marketing communications network, Ogilvy & Mather, there is no such thing as the ‘American consumer’ and no single demographic, or even handful of demographics that neatly defines the American nation.

In a CRMtrends’ consumer demographics report, Ogilvy & Mather argue that US society has fractioned into small groups and become isolated. Thanks to the Internet, say O&M, people with very specific interests are able to reinforce those interests as never before. And now they expect a customized message.

O&M believe keeping up with changing demographics is critical for US market success.

From the country that brought us IKEA

A recent European success on the American market is Sweden’s H&M. Since opening its first store on Fifth Avenue, New York in 2000, the company is now bringing ‘fashion and quality at the best price’ to over 213 stores across the United States.

Although fashion, luxury and retail brands find it easier to enter the US market, it’s not always easy. Isabel Cavill, Senior Retail Analyst at global retail intelligence firm Planet Retail, cites lack of brand awareness, rapid expansion and poorly planned partnerships with US chains as typical reasons why foreign brands fail. Fortunately for H&M, they did their homework.

So what’s behind H&M’s US success? Ranked the 21^st most valuable brand in 2010 by Interbrand, H&M has lots of retail muscle. They’ve been around since 1947, so they’re well established. The company’s fast fashion business model means the distance between design and sale is small and inventories are kept low. And that means demand. If customers want to get their hands on one of H&M’s latest designer collaborations, it pays to be in the front of the queue to grapple for the last Lanvin dress or Versace suit. And, with celebrity models replacing the modeling celebrities in the company’s high profile advertising campaigns, the brand commands even more attention.

An H&M Club with a loyalty rewards program, and a social media wall that makes it easy to follow their Facebook, Twitter and YouTube activity, have helped to build a movement around each of the brand’s lines. In 2010, H&M even partnered with MyTown, a location-based game for iPhone users, and helped them to reach an elusive subset of their target group.

The winning formula

Although price and convenience are what American brands do better than anyone else, it’s possible to make inroads in the extremely competitive US market. Scott Goodson, founder of cultural movement agency StrawberryFrog, believes that a brand that can transcend geography and language, instill values that are simple, inspiring and easy to align with, is on to a winning formula.

By building a brand movement, “we are no longer throwing out one-way, localized messages with one global look and feel,” says Scott. “It’s about getting people to love your brand, no matter where they are in the world. And if you can get it right, you’ll become one of the elite global brands that everyone wants to buy in to.”

Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

If you’re marketing to Americans, or even just going to a business dinner, you need to demonstrate that you can connect with them. There are certain aspects of American’s culture and heritage that have underlying significance, so it pays to look a little deeper.

Don’t surprise them

Of course, there are American brands, and cultural and political references that many of us already know. From Wall Street and 9/11, to Coke and Obama, these are things that many non-Americans already will identify because they have a certain global impact. But, while American pop culture is widely exported, American cultural heritage is less so. For instance, do you know why Memorial Day and the 4^th of July are important? What Thanksgiving and Halloween are all about? Americans don’t take a lot of vacation, so holidays are important and often highly anticipated.

While perhaps less likely to pop up in conversation than your holiday plans, even a basic grasp of twentieth century American history – from the Great Depression to the civil rights movement – will give you a better understanding of Americans, particularly American politics. And American politics is likely to come up in casual conversation. Take a spin around the New York Times (US edition, of course), or NPR to get a feel for what stories and politics are current, or plumb these resources for deeper cultural issues like religion or healthcare.

Remember, Americans are often surprised when you don’t know about their culture. So, don’t surprise them.

Coke and Pepsi are just the tip of the iceberg

The American brands you encounter every day are just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re going to do business with Americans, especially on their home turf, you’re going to hear about Verizon, Wal-Mart, and Dunkin’ Donuts. You’ll probably hear about – or even be offered – popular over-the-counter medicines like Alka Seltzer, Tylenol, and Pepcid. Ever encounter Quaker Oats, Tide detergent or Jiff peanut butter? The list of popular American brands you’ve never heard of is practically unending; you can’t possibly know it all, of course. But brands and products are a significant part of the US consumer culture, and you’ll look like much less of an outsider if you’re familiar with a few.

Perhaps even more than American brands, American pop culture has a great influence abroad. But it is far more diverse and penetrating at home. Remember, Americans are massive media consumers. Think you know all about American television? You’d better think again if Saturday Night Live, the Daily Show, Fox News and the Colbert Report are not part of your vernacular. Even Sesame Street and reality shows might come up in conversation. It’s worthwhile to peruse US magazines like People and Entertainment Weekly, even the LA Times, for tips on what Americans may be talking about “around the water cooler.”

And that brings us to sports. Americans love sports just as much as the rest of the world. Unfortunately, your lifelong devotion to what Americans call “soccer” probably won’t help you at all. Because sports are so much a part of the fabric of American culture – and because you’re likely to be able to talk about it with just about anyone – even rudimentary knowledge of American football, basketball and baseball can be worth its weight in gold. In other words, doing business in San Francisco? Find out who the 49ers and the Giants are playing that week.

Know the lingo?
In fact, sports are such an inherent part of US culture that sports-related idioms and phrases are now a common part of the American language. You will hear them at the grocery store, at dinner, and you will most certainly hear them in business. WordSpin.dk has a great primer on the language of baseball that may just help you knock it out of the park in your next Stateside meeting.

“American” is a tricky language! Test your skills and see if you can follow this story…

The American population is among the most online-savvy on the globe. In fact, they make up an overwhelming 48 percent of the blogosphere. According to Edison Research, nearly 90 percent have Internet access, with more than half of all Americans aged twelve and over on one or more social networks. One third of these, or approximately 46 million Americans, use their social networks several times a day. Businesses should also note that 43 percent of frequent social networkers follow brands or companies.

The fact that almost half of all the world’s bloggers are American suggests that they are highly opinionated (28 percent of US adults give advice about purchases on social networking sites). Many of these bloggers are talking about service and brands. But that’s not just retail consumers: a report by DemandGen, “Breaking Out Of The Funnel,” concluded that 59 percent of B2B buyers researching a potential purchase reviewed it with peers who had considered a similar product or service. In this day and age, the vast majority of that research happens online.

As it’s almost certain that this behavior will be become more ubiquitous, more companies are engaging and interacting with customers and stakeholders through channels such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and similar. They’re creating communities of their own on corporate and corporate-sponsored websites, bypassing media middle-men and taking advantage of the American tendency to share and communicate.

Be an authority

Of course, Americans can be famously skeptical; they won’t believe everything they read, particularly on the Internet. In order to communicate with your clients, customers and stakeholders, it’s important to position yourself as an authority – not only for your business, but also within your industry.

Because the Internet means direct access to your audience, corporate marketing is changing. Particularly in the States, it’s no longer just about directly promoting your own company through company-centric marketing messages – the kind that often fall on deaf ears with savvy Americans – but also about demonstrating thought leadership by sharing your expertise and knowledge about your industry. Providing third-party, objective content about relevant industry topics on news sites and customer communities, for example, should be an integral part of your marketing plan.

Just as Cisco has done with The Network, progressive companies are positioning themselves as thought leaders by creating their own independent resource site for industry professionals. Cisco describes The Network as “a place for people to tell stories and share information on the topics that are the most important to Cisco: Video, Collaboration, Core Networks, Mobility, Security, Data Center, Cisco Culture and Social Media.”

If you can do this successfully, you have a greater chance of your messages being shared and going viral. Here we’re talking about social network communities where B2B buyers talk to other buyers (or other industry parties) in more of a casual chat format. They’ll swap information, links, recommendations, influencing and supporting each other’s decision-making processes. This is where the rubber meets the road – real customer conversations that might also be about your products or services!

Here are a couple of interesting infographics that shed light on digital behavior in the US:

American identity according to social media usage

Who in the US is using which social media sites?

For American companies, targeting specific ethnic groups is nothing new. Of course, these various groups have different needs and wants – and marketers must work to adjust their messages to appeal accordingly.

The need for multi-faceted messages can be difficult for non-American companies to grasp, particularly for companies from smaller countries with more homogenous cultural heritage and values. But in business in the US, one size definitely does not fit all.

Here, we take a quick look at the three largest ethnic groups in the US and some excellent examples of how companies and brands have targeted them to great effect.

African Americans


The 2010 census determined that African Americans make up 12.6 percent of the US population, or 39 million people. African Americans have similar spending habits to Caucasian people, and they tend to identify strongly with certain brands.

• Proctor & Gamble’s My Black is Beautiful “celebrates the diverse collective beauty of African-American Women.” Proctor & Gamble has identified issues that resonate specifically with this ethnic group and created a universe that focuses solely on them.
• Reacting to the fact that African Americans tend to take their coffee with sugar and cream more than the rest of the US population, Nestle Coffee-mate has promoted its products in African-American media, resulting in more sales and market share. In another targeted campaign, Coffee-mate sets up a mobile cafe for African Americans.
• Volvo’s marketing strategy includes targeting its products specifically to African Americans (and Hispanics) as a “safe” alternative.
• Disney targets African-American families in some of its advertisements. The intention of this TV advert is for the African-American audience to identify with Disney through characters and family values.

Hispanics


The US Hispanic population is estimated at 46.9 million people – 15 percent of the total population, according to a September 2009 Census report. Hispanic strongholds are Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami and Texas.

Hispanic marketing is now an established industry in the US. There are many resources aimed specifically at the Hispanic communities, such as Hispanic Business. Many US companies (and government agencies) make their websites available in both English and Spanish.

Hispanics are a very important audience for Disney, and the company has done very specific targeting within this demographic. The company’s marketing efforts aimed at young Hispanic mothers in the US have included a Spanish-language lifestyle magazine called En Familia, digital marketing, and direct mail campaigns.

Tecate Light, with its humorous TV adverts in Spanish, also targets the Hispanic market specifically.

Asian Americans


Asian Americans make up approximately 3.6 percent of the US population. According to the 2010 Census, this is the fastest growing racial group within the United States. Research shows that Asian Americans are frequent shoppers and brand-loyal consumers, so companies do work to produce advertisements towards them. Research also reveals that Asian Americans tend to be conscious of their status, perhaps one reason why premium brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz are popular with the demographic.

In this advertisement, Comcast uses Asian American actors to target this ethnic group.

This advertisement also shows that it is possible to reach out to multiple audiences. Shaquille O’Neal, a celebrity and former basketball star, is a popular figure across many demographics in the US, particularly with African Americans.

What can we learn from segmented marketing?

When brands target ethnic groups specifically, there are often increase their opportunities for growth and profit. What it requires, however, is an understanding of the ethnic groups so you can make your messages relevant to them.

If you are new to this type of marketing, the best approach is to focus on one specific group. It will give you the best chance of success with that audience.

For most budgets, it is too ambitious to target multiple ethnic audiences with the same marketing power – but it is vital that you make sure your marketing still respects all other ethnic groups. If you fail to do that, you could alienate your brand or, at worst, land yourself in litigation.

By Raechelle Wilson

I’m not going to lie to you. Your suspicions about Americans are probably true.

Growing up as an American – a white, middle-class, Protestant American – I was indoctrinated with all of the beliefs about what it means to be from the USA: we are the best. We are number one. We are the greatest country. Period.

To understand Americans, you have to understand this mythology. You have to understand this very basic thing that we all are raised to believe: we are smarter. We are richer. We are more savvy, more powerful than any people in the world.

It’s embarrassing to write that. And I doubt you will find an American abroad who admits to feeling that way, but we all know we are taught this. For a nation of so many cultures, there is, in fact, only one culture that matters: American.

A colleague of mine recently told me something interesting about travel. He said, “Living abroad, you learn many things about other cultures. But most of what you learn about is your own.”

I’ve lived in Denmark for two years. Long enough to begin to learn some things about Europeans – and Danes in particular. But I’m just beginning to understand my own country from outside the box.

I can see now that some of the stereotypes are true: we are loud. We are culturally ignorant. We are work-obsessed and, unless we grew up with non-native parents, almost none of us speak a second language.

As an American abroad, there’s a fine line to walk. There’s a tendency to be an apologist – to make fun of what seems, now, to be my almost absurdly privileged and self-involved culture.

Strangely, though, moving abroad has also made me understand why we are all of those things:

We don’t speak other languages because most of us live thousands of kilometers from anywhere we might use them. (Though, to be fair, the US has the world’s fifth-largest Spanish speaking population.)

We don’t have passports because we have no reason for them: it’s very expensive to leave the country, and most of us haven’t come close to seeing a third of it yet.

We haven’t seen a third of it yet because we don’t get vacation. That five-six weeks most Europeans are entitled to? Many Americans don’t see that much vacation in a lifetime. Holiday pay is entirely up to the employer; it is optional. (At my last job I accrued three vacation days a year. After the first year.)

We are obsessed with work because we don’t have a lot of choice. We have almost none of the social safety nets that other industrialized nations consider standard. And I think most Americans would consider the phrase “work-life balance” to be some kind of hippy therapy group.

All of these things – along with inane 24-hour news networks – conspire to ensure our cultural ignorance, thus reinforcing our own silly notion that “we are number one.” It’s a positive feedback loop. How can we compare ourselves to others if we don’t even know them?

I’ve come abroad to find that I am not “the best.” But also to find that there’s no such thing. There are plenty of things that the US does better, in my opinion. (Grocery stores, for one. God, do I miss American grocery stores.) But there are many things that every country does better. And I’ve come to see that there is beauty in every culture.

I only wish learning about them wasn’t such a luxury.

American demographics are unlike any other market; the messages and aesthetics that target Americans can never come in a “one-size-fits-all” campaign. For many foreign countries, marketing to the States can be an uphill battle.

Some companies, however, are making it look easy.

Danish-based GN ReSound is one of the top five global players in the hearing aid industry. With forty percent of its business coming from the States, however, ReSound has a lot invested in the US market.

“If we do well in the US,” explains Charlotte Bang, Head of Brand Support & Group Communication for ReSound, “then the company will do well. My job is to make [a campaign] that will work and that can be adapted for various local markets, including the US.”

But getting there, she says, can be like walking through a minefield.

Like no one else

Formerly the company’s International Marketing Manager, Charlotte spent her first few years with ReSound in San Francisco. What she learned there, she explains, was that marketing in the US is like nowhere in the world.

“One thing I have learned is to listen to the US,” says Charlotte, “because it may well be ahead of you. Our US subsidiary is doing more than any other subsidiary, marketing-wise. They have closer contact to the customers, and they also see very aggressive marketing from our competitors, so they have more experience on what works and what doesn’t.”

Their advantage is more than just proximity to the local market, however. It is also the pervasiveness of American marketing savvy.

“You might say that Americans are born marketers,” says Charlotte. “Marketing just seems to be something that’s a part of the culture in the US. I see what our US marketing people do to sell our products. I see the way they think about their markets, create their materials and how they use the messages and materials we create from headquarters here in Denmark. If we create a product campaign or an ad that the US marketers don’t like, they won’t use it.”

While tailoring a message for a specific local market can involve myriad subtleties, for the most part Charlotte identifies a few key differences with messaging in the States.

Direct connections

“In over ten years of working with the US,” says Charlotte, “I’ve learned that it is important to keep communication simple and direct. We tend to have some very sophisticated messages here, and the US has been instrumental in helping us to be clearer.”

Those direct messages are necessary not only in internal communications, Charlotte explains. Whether it’s between the message and the market, or between the distributor and end-user, Charlotte says that American consumers prefer a direct connection.

“Our environment in Europe is more clinical,” says Charlotte. “In Europe, we like the idea of patients. It connects to distributors’ feelings of pride in their knowledge and their status as knowledgeable professionals. In the US, it’s more about selling a product and a service. It’s not about having a ‘patient’ but having a ‘customer’ or ‘client.’”

This direct connection extends to American’s aesthetic sensibilities as well, and has a major impact on ReSound’s visual branding in the States.

“What we do in Europe is more stylized, not so real,” she explains. “But Scandinavian clean lines and whites are rather cold in mainstream American eyes. Americans want something that is more real, more direct – something with which they can identify and connect.”

Strong customer orientation

Similarly, Charlotte notes, Americans are less interested in technical specifications, but in how those details translate into “human” benefits.

“One of our key messages is about design excellence. This really resonates with our European subsidiaries and their audiences. But the Americans aren’t hooked on this stuff at all. They are not interested in the concept of design for its own sake. Americans like to know: what will the product will do and why should I buy it?”

To illustrate, Charlotte describes a focus group with audiologists in the US that revealed quite a lot about the American concept of a value proposition:

“The audiologists only wanted to talk about the consumer. ‘Tell me what’s in it for my customers,’ they said. Of course, they cared about their service, but they were very focused on how they would sell the product. ‘The benefits to me,’ they told us, ‘are the benefits to the customers’.”

For ReSound, selling in the States means letting go of technical jargon and industry hierarchy that works so well in other markets.

“It all points to the strong consumer orientation of the US, and the generally less formal way people engage with each other,” Charlotte explains. “In the US, it’s important to keep it simple, clear and connected.”

Customization (with a “z”)

Charlotte tells a story about her early experiences developing ReSound’s websites – one that she says illustrates the strong US focus of Americans.

“When I first started with the company, I was doing an international website and a US website. Gnresound.com was the British English version. A retired US teacher sent me a corrected version in red ink of the entire site. It didn’t even occur to him that it might have been British English.”

But, while Americans can be prickly about their formatting, they’re even quicker to pounce on a generic message.

“In our experience,” Charlotte notes, “you can’t expect to use British texts in the US and just change it a little. It’s not just about the spelling and word choice. You’ve got to rewrite them to quite a degree before they ring true in American ears.”

Part of this customization process, Charlotte explains, has to do with remembering the ethnic diversity in the States – an important component in US marketing.

“Whenever our American subsidiary produces materials themselves, they will always include photos of African-Americans, Asians or some other combination. And we try to anticipate this by having our global materials incorporate multiple races as well. Of all of our geographies, the Americans are the only ones who ask for that.”

Charlotte notes that this may be part of the connection Americans have with products and services – that American consumers, in their wide range of ethnic and racial diversity, will very often look for themselves in their products.

“Essentially,” concludes Charlotte, “Americans are born consumers. When marketing to the US, be direct with a hard-hitting proposition that works – with strong benefits and strong human connections. And remember to attach a very clear call to action.”

The US has always been the land of opportunity, where fortunes have been made and great businesses built. For more than a century, it’s also been the breeding ground of the world’s greatest, most iconic brands.

But from the time the first European settlers arrived, making it in the US has required endeavor, innovation, diligence – not to mention hard-nosed confidence. And, as the entrepreneurial fever took hold in the States, good sales skills were essential to their success. While the country grew and markets expanded, so did the opportunities for those who understood how to market to the masses.

Even though today’s business environment is light years away from those early settler years – and not forgetting the difficulties endured as this cultural melting pot continues to develop – looking back at how the country was formed gives us insight into what’s required to make it in the US. Even if the techniques and technologies have changed, many of the old values and attitudes to business success still hold true. Those who succeed are those who can live those values, adapt with the times and master today’s technology and techniques.

Americans are born marketers. Whether they are marketing to consumers or other businesses, Americans know better than most that a great product doesn’t guarantee success. Indeed, good marketing is its own business value in the US.

This is one of the first challenges facing foreign companies looking to enter the US market. But not only does their marketing quality have to at least be in the same league as any American company, foreign companies have to recognize that they are facing a culturally diverse market that is like no other on earth.

About this magazine

Think America explores key issues related to how foreign companies can successfully market in the United States. The objective of this publication is to create awareness of why marketing to US audiences requires an approach that is very different to other markets around the world.

After reading this publication, we hope you will see why the following four aspects are crucial to the success of your business-to-business (B2B) marketing efforts:

1. You must show your US audience that you understand their particular situation and needs. Be well prepared for cultural diversity and political correctness. Remember that they will probably have a very different outlook on the world than you do.
2. Develop marketing messages that are powerful, relevant, innovative and shareable. Focus on the benefits that motivate and engage your customer. Don’t get too technical, and please don’t be modest.
3. Create excellent sales, marketing and communication materials. Do not compromise on quality. Maximize your budget by making wise decisions about what you need to produce. You may not be able to do it all – but you have to do it well.
4. Have a strong online presence. Use traditional online media and get on board with social media. Get this right and your audience reach will expand before your eyes.

After reading Think America, we hope that you have a better idea of how to build a successful marketing strategy for the US. Of course, we’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on marketing to the US, too. Please feel free to comment on any of the articles in this publication.