What Is a Multidomestic Strategy?

A multidomestic strategy is a type of marketing approach that seeks to focus attention on the needs of a local market rather than taking a more universal or global approach to the advertising effort. This means that companies employing this marketing strategy will seek to understand the culture of various local markets and tailor their entry into those markets based on the demographics of that area. With this approach, a great deal of effort is made to adapt advertising and presentation to appeal to local sensibilities, rather than using a mass market approach.

One of the ways to understand how a multidomestic strategy works is to consider how the manufacturer of canned foods might choose to market the products in different markets. For example, in a rural market, the emphasis may be on taste and quality in comparison to buying fresh vegetables and meats. The marketing approach may also include ideas on how to use those goods in recipes. At the same time, the company may choose to focus on different factors when marketing in a metropolitan area, possibly highlighting the ability to prepare tasty meals even when busy lives don’t allow much time for cooking. The idea is to identify ways to present the products so that local consumers can relate to the products within the context of their own culture, and be motivated to purchase them.

In order for a multidomestic strategy to be successful, is it important to invest a great deal of research into the various localities where the products are actively marketed. This can often provide valuable insights into the nuances of the prevailing culture in an area, which leads to inspiration on how to present the products to best advantage. By taking the time to learn how to connect with consumers, it is possible to use the multidomestic strategy to create a wide range of boiler plates that can be adapted to fit markets that share a lot of similarities, while still customizing the advertising and marketing efforts to match exactly with the local culture.

While employing a multidomestic strategy can be somewhat costly on the front end, the effort can pay off in a big way. Assuming the products do in fact capture the attention and the loyalty of the local populace, those early efforts can yield returns over a number of years, possibly even decades. For this reason, any business seeking to become established and build a loyal client base in a number of different geographical areas will want to consider the potential of this particular marketing strategy.