International Brand Positioning in the Cosmetic Industry : Analysis of Finnish and British Markets

In marketing, branding is a means to make an impression on a consumer’s mind. It helps designing a marketing strategy with a targeted approach to relevant consumer segments. In a globalised world, cross-cultural differences may complicate the process of a domestic brand internationalising, however. This thesis investigates branding as a concept and identifies what factors need to be taken into consideration to successfully export a domestic brand abroad. The issue was addressed by studying the impact exporting had on the example brand of LUMENE and consumer ratings of diverse brand choices by domestic and foreign consumers in target markets. Results of the study indicated that brand elements, such as the brand name and logo, require a verbal approach in a phonetic language system. Results also showcased that if the country’s image abroad is positive, aligning the brand position with the country personality stereotype of the country-of-origin is favourable for a brand. Because of increasing diversity within cultural groups, this study emphasises the importance of cross-cultural competence in today’s world to successfully export brands abroad.