Americans are Anglophiles, there's no doubt about it. Just think... James Bond, The Rolling Stones, Tony Blair, Princess Diana, The Avengers, Monty Python, Jaguar, Mini Cooper - you get the idea. Last week, I eagerly anticipated the first episode of The Office, a heavily promoted new sitcom based on a successful UK TV show. If it was anything like other UK imports, it would be a hoot. Well, nothing could be further from reality with this poorly imported show. It had no British humor in it at all - no surprise since it is set in the US. But therein lies the point... perhaps it would be more successful as a direct import - exactly as aired in the UK, not unlike Monty Python. Just try to imagine Monty Python with American actors and scripts reworked in an attempt to be local... the thought makes me shudder.
How "British" should your brand be?
This is a great question - and the answer is, "it depends." Would the Mini Cooper be as successful if BMW built it in Germany? I doubt it. A large part of its appeal is that it's a believable successor to the original. Is it OK that some Jermyn Street shirtmakers make their shirts in Eastern Europe? Maybe. I can tell you from personal experience that it's a bit disappointing, but feels much better than if the label said "Made in China." The point is, you need to determine how integral the pedigree is to the brand promise - and if you can succeed with less "Britishness" in your product.
Lost Soul Case Study
Maclaren manufactures baby strollers (buggies in the UK) that are intended to compete as high end alternatives to US brands (all made in China), including Graco, Cosco and Safety1st. Its main European competitor is PEG Perego, which manufactures its beautiful strollers in Italy (think the Alfa Romeo of strollers). Maclaren's heritage is that its strollers were made in the UK - and carried a Union Jack as part of its identity and proudly displayed on every stroller. Well, Maclaren now makes all its strollers in China and the Union Jack is nowhere to be seen - it sports a logo that is devoid of character (and British identity), as are all its marketing materials and promotions.
In my opinion, this fundamental change to the brand promise is a mortal wound to the product and company - it's lost its soul. Its ability to differentiate itself from other "Made in China" products is rapidly dwindling - and with it - its ability to command a premium in the market. The caché of "Made in the UK" is gone - from the product and its marketing. When its strollers are compared with those from other China imports, they'll begin to blend in. Any proprietary advantages will soon disappear (you can bet that other Chinese-made products will begin to look and feel just like those from Maclaren - there's no intellectual property that's safe in China). Meanwhile, PEG Perego continues to make beautiful products with its brand promise and premium pricing intact. If I had to bet on one of these buggies winning the contest for the high ground in this market, it would be PEG hands-down.
The opposing point of view
The argument from Maclaren's point of view is that it is too expensive to manufacture in the UK. Therefore, it's content to offshore production and become purely a design and marketing company. If you think that's not possible, think again. Apple's iPod is "Designed by Apple in California." They are made in China. So, a possible strategy would be to market Maclaren heavily as a lifestyle brand, relying on British heritage, sensibility and character to transcend its manufacturing offshore. But, that's not happening. The brand is lightly promoted in the US (a total spend under $500,000). And as mentioned above, there's not a trace of Britishness in its marketing. A strong case study for Maclaren to learn from would be Dyson - America's number 1 vacuum cleaner brand. These are designed in the UK and made offshore (we've lauded their marketing enough in this blog). So, it can be done. Tune in a few years from now and we'll all see if Maclaren exists - my bet is that it won't.
