The purchasing power of emerging nations represents many billions of dollars in opportunities.

However, there are specific challenges to tapping these markets. A major reason is growth of the Internet and massive changes in the media environment. People across the world can instantly see events and trends virtually everywhere, anywhere.

Integrated Marketing Services (IMS) research and marketing, in more than 30 countries, is focusing more on:

• Identifying unmet consumer and business needs
• Determining market potential in various countries so clients can focus first on those which represent the greatest potential return
• Understanding customs and language nuances that affect marketing programs, positively or negatively

For example, when planning strategy for a world-wide product distribution, AOR conducted research that found the name developed by the client had a very negative connotation in one major culture.

IMS helped change the name

The lesson: conduct a cultural “disaster check” before a product launch.