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Marketing in an Uncertain

American Climate

20 March 2012

Allyson Stewart-Allen Director

International Marketing Partners Ltd.

Grosvenor Gardens House

35/37 Grosvenor Gardens

London SW1W 0BS

Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 9400

E: allyson@intermarketingonline.com

© International Marketing Partners Ltd.

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Why Have You Invited Me?

Women leaders like you often find America, and

Americans, frustrating

Consultant, speaker, journalist, author, broadcaster

on the US business culture

– Working with Americans (Pearson)

– Marketing in the USA (UKTI)

London-based Californian since 1988

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Agenda

Factors driving the climate change

Reading the mood

Persistence of the Underlying Values

Upside of the Climate Change

Implications: Marketing and

Communications

Implications: Leadership

Factors Driving the Climate Change

Highest unemployment rate for at least 60 years

California highest in the US (12.4%)

“white collar recession”

Little job security, healthcare security

Frustration with politicians, economic revival

tactics (stimulus packages, “QE2”)

Devaluation of personal assets: pensions, property

Distrust of traditional institutions: religious,

corporate, government, academic

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www.despair.com

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Factors Driving the Climate Change

More information about the world and

the US role in it

– Business for Diplomatic Action

– China

– Oil dependence

– Proliferation of devices

• iPad, phones

– Proliferation of outlets

• TV, news aggregators/portals, social media

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“retirement” a lost dream

– Pension/savings erosions

Dubious business practices and fraud

– Madoff, BP

– “bankers bonuses”

– creative financial instruments • CDS, Coco’s (contingent convertible bonds)

Celebrities as trusted sources

– Oprah, Bono, George Clooney

Factors Driving the Climate Change

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Reading the Mood

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Reading the Mood

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Reading the Mood

Akio Toyoda, Toyota

Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs

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Persistence of the Underlying Values

Bigger is better

Diversity

Equality

Opportunity

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Win/win = economics of abundance

New is improved

Anything is possible

Information is free

– Americans speak in questions

Ready/fire/aim

the American way/insularity

Persistence of the Underlying Values

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Age and experience not seen to be correlated

Monochronic

Business to be done ethically

– Attitudes to bribery, corruption, fraud

– Banking, pharmaceuticals

Persistence of the Underlying Values

Upside of the Climate Change

It’s never been easier to start a business

“work/life” balance

Transparency means companies and practices are

outed

Multiple careers over the span of working life

– Continuous learning

Recognition of the power of networks

Companies pushed to up their game to win

business

– Customers more selective, more promiscuous

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Implications: Marketing and

Communications

Empathy

Seriousness

Sincerity

Genuineness

Diplomacy

Think longer-term

Fill the trust void

Reveal allowable flaws

Be “human”

Future orientation

Ignore the digerati at

your peril

Do right by the

customer

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Implications: Leadership

Deliver on your promises

Manage expectations intentionally

Be transparent

Communicate more often, diplomatically

– US business culture values extroversion

Help teams cope with stress

– Clinical depression

Keep people focused on the goals

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Comments? Questions?

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Marketing in an Uncertain

American Climate

20 March 2012

Allyson Stewart-Allen Director

International Marketing Partners Ltd.

Grosvenor Gardens House

35/37 Grosvenor Gardens

London SW1W 0BS

Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 9400

E: allyson@intermarketingonline.com

© International Marketing Partners Ltd.