Once the decision has been made to enter an overseas market, a business must consider the extent to which it will adapt its offerings to local conditions. Is it possible to market the product in almost the same way in every country, which is known as a global strategy, or will the marketing have to be adjusted for each market? If a business pursues a global strategy, this means it is adopting essentially the same marketing mix wherever it competes.

A pan-global marketing strategy has been adopted by businesses in several markets such as jeans, soft drinks and luxury goods. One advantage of a global approach is that it offers marketing economies of scale. For example, the business can develop one advertising campaign and one approach to packaging worldwide.

However, this type of strategy does not respond to the requirements of different national markets, and so the business may lose sales to competitors who focus more on local needs. In markets such as food and drinks and the media, a business may need to adapt significantly to local requirements. On the other hand, a more local approach may meet customer needs more precisely, but may be more expensive and more complex to manage. In reality, most companies will choose a balance between the global and local approach.

There are global brands that sell in many different markets. They have the same name and logo everywhere. However, some advertisements are made in a way that reflects local conditions.