Understanding cultural differences between markets and the expectations these give rise to is vital for effective marcoms. When I moved to New York several years ago and opened a bank account, I was shocked to find that I had to pay fees for things like writing a cheque and withdrawing cash. What seemed inconceivably unfair to me was completely normal for US consumers.
Hitting the headlines in the UK at the moment is the rise in the number of ATM machines that charge for withdrawals. Four out of every ten ATMs in the US makes a charge, but until relatively recently almost all in the UK were free. The fear is that, as with so many things, what happens in the US today happens in the UK tomorrow.
Perhaps this time things will be different. American consumers don't like ATM charges any more than British consumers. US pressure groups are aware that British consumers have things better, for example The New York Public Interest Research Group has launched a campaign to end ATM charges in the US and warns UK consumers not to accept the introduction of charges without complaint.
The British are traditionally not very good at complaining, but this something else from the US that's starting to take hold. UK consumers have become increasingly demanding in recent years, so any bank that wants to stick its head above the parapet and charge for ATM withdrawals had better watch out.
The point here is that culture, its values and expectations, are not fixed. Shifts in ideas don't always emerge as one might expect, so it's important gain local insight. Ask yourself the question, can you really understand how things are on the ground in a market with which you are unfamiliar. Transposing your home culture, and interpreting it through stereotypes and an outsiders take on trends and events, inevitably leads to mistakes. If you don't know, take a back seat for a moment and call on someone who does.
