Putting an international marketing and communications strategy into practice involves more than translating messages. Recent research shows that brands’ relationship with culture and the division of responsibilities between headquarters and local markets play a role in earning audiences’ trust.
Kantar’s analysis highlights the need to combine global consistency with local relevance. In a case study of Booking.com, the consultancy describes a strategy that adapts language, cultural references and aspects of the customer experience while preserving the brand’s identity. The model gives regional teams autonomy and encourages them to share what they learn with the global organization.
The findings reflect people’s stated perceptions; they do not establish that adapting communications will, on its own, increase sales. They do, however, broaden the discussion beyond advertising: familiarity, belonging and participation in community life all contribute to the relationship between businesses and consumers.
Within marketing organizations, the response involves two seemingly opposing shifts. BCG surveyed 100 leaders at large consumer goods companies in the United States and Europe for a study published in February 2026. Among respondents, 58% reported greater centralization to reduce costs, while 46% cited increased localization to tailor content, campaigns and activations to individual markets.
These responses were not mutually exclusive. The report describes global teams overseeing guidelines and shared capabilities, with local teams handling execution closer to consumers. The research documents organizational practices without establishing a causal link between those practices and performance.
In Latin America, an incident involving a major global sportswear brand illustrates how product decisions can become issues of reputation and institutional relations. In 2025, Mexican authorities accused the company of cultural appropriation over a shoe design linked to traditional Indigenous huarache sandals. The company acknowledged the concerns and proposed discussions about reparations, according to the Associated Press.
The case does not establish whether the company lacked local advice. It does show, however, that the commercial use of cultural references may call for dialogue with communities and authorities. The studies and the incident address different aspects of the same challenge: coordinating international operations while responding to expectations that vary from market to market.
The studies point to a model that combines global direction with local autonomy. Headquarters defines the organization’s commitments, brand positioning and evaluation criteria. Teams in each market interpret the cultural and institutional context and help shape decisions about messaging, channels and relationships. Local agencies can contribute knowledge of the media, consumer habits, public debates and cultural sensitivities. For that expertise to influence decisions, agencies need to be involved from the planning stage, with room to question assumptions and suggest alternatives.
This approach depends on listening continuously to consumers, employees, communities and authorities, as well as testing messages and monitoring trust and reputation. Hiring a local agency does not, in itself, ensure cultural relevance: its contribution depends on how well the organization listens and how willing it is to act on what it learns. The challenge is to keep the brand’s global commitments clear while making decisions that reflect the realities of each country. In this model, local knowledge helps shape international strategy from the outset.