ABSTRACT
Why are there so many television programmes, books and magazines devoted to business? A large part of it is because business has such a profound influence on our lives. Business is a spectacle; a drama filled with excitement and adventure. The actors in this drama are the companies who use their image or actions to create the drama and intrigue in order to get people on their side. We interpret companies by their outward signs, such as advertising brochures and reported performance. As in successful drama,
factors contribute to this success. First, images determine people’s attitudes and behaviour; a positive image can help create and support a company or its products. Second, the image is a mixture of appearance and behaviour – one needs to support the other. Lastly, to succeed one needs to be a good communicator. As soon as one extends this drama/ business analogy to an international environment these success factors become even more complex and challenging. One way international companies could reduce the complexity is through corporate brands. Corporate brands provide effective and consistent com-
This chapter discusses some of the issues surrounding the use of corporate branding in an international context. It examines the issues of communication of corporate values to a global audience and the importance of establishing corporate brands is considered through analysis of a case study. Makita Corporation in Japan is an 85-year-old established company that operates in the global small power tools and accessories market. The authors suggest that three key facets of global corporate brand are: communication of a consistent message; organizational support of brand image; and control and standardization to add value to new products and entrance into new markets.
