David Ketchum brings a rare insight to marketing in Asia. His observation and recommendations are based on relationships with a broad range of marketers – packaged goods and consumer durables as well as business-to-business products and services. The added bonus is that David Ketchum is a facile and gifted writer who holds the reader’s attention from start to finish. A must read for anyone interested in doing business in Asia! – Harold Burson, Founding Chairman, Burson-Marsteller

David Ketchum’s insight in Big M, little mis your map and GPS receiver to help navigate the Asian Brand and marketing frontier. I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning about the unique challenges and adept solutions of marketing in Asia during this time of extreme change. Big M little mis the closest thing to having your own Asian marketing consultant in a box – Frank Yu, Regional Business Manager, XBOX and Home Entertainment Division, Microsoft Corporation

Asia’s economics, despite ups and down, remain the most vibrant and fastest growing in the World. Yet, as David Ketchum explains, the number of global brand names made in Asia is disproportionately low. This is now changing as the forces of globalization and bottom-up restructuring within the region are coming together. For anyone involved in running an Asian-based business these are both exciting and daunting times that call for a fresh look at the marketing challenge. David Ketchum draws on a wealth of personal experience to help us out. Big M little m Marketingis a remarkable fusion of marketing theory and practice, big picture and detail, explanation and seasoned advice that is helpful and fun to read – Geoffrey Barker, Chief Economist, HSBC Asia-Pacific

 

This text offers a manifesto for unlocking the marketing potential of global and Asia-based companies, as well as for multi-nationals expanding into Asia. It covers general marketing strategies and individual marketing tactics, such as advertising, promotions, direct mail.

BIG M, little m Marketing: New Strategies for a New Asiais a call to action for marketers in Asia to re-think their strategies (Big M Marketing), the tactics used (little m Marketing), and how the two are brought together. Factors such as the arrival of the WTO in China and Taiwan, growing transparency in business practices, and the impact of reforms following the 1997 financial crisis are rapidly and permanently altering the marketing landscape in Asia. The Pace of change is accelerating and many companies are only now awakening to the new competitive realities. With the right mix of BIG M and little m Marketing, any company or brand can transcend such entrenched interests as existing distribution networks, family relationships, and government bureaucracy.

Author David Ketchum draws on his extensive experience as a marketer and a consultant in the region to guide readers across the BIG M, little m Marketing Map, and help marketers plot their own course. The book shows the way forward for companies to gain competitive advantage by bringing global best practice to bear in ways that meet Asia’s specific business environment and customer needs. The book is packed with practical insights, real life examples and useful tools.

David Ketchumis Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Upstream Asia. He specializes in brand building, marketing and corporate communications in Asia-Pacific. He first came to the region in 1991 as vice president, Greater China director of marketing for public relations company Burson-Marsteller based in Hong Kong. In 1994, he moved to Seoul to head Burson-Marsteller’s office in Korea for three year. He then joined Calvin Klein in 1996 as senior vice president, marketing and communications, responsible for marketing, advertising, promotions and public relations in the region.

Since 1999, he has focused on technology marketing and brand development as CEO of Upstream Asia. He is also founder of the Asia Digital Marketing Association. David has provided strategic counsel and managed corporate/marketing campaigns for such companies as AT&T, eBay, The Business Software Alliance, Calvin Klein, Citibank, CNN, General Motors, Intel, Microsoft MSN, Nortel Networks, Sun Microsystems and United Distillers.

Before coming to Asia, he held senior positions with Hill &Knowlton in New York and London, w here he oversaw Barclays Bank, DuPont, GTE Mobilnet, PepsiCo, and Polygram, among others. David began his career with Cunningham & Walsh Advertising in New York. He is a graduate of Haverford College (BA English and History) and Milton Academy in the US.

Acknowledgments

1. Preface

2. Introduction

3. BIG M, little m Marketing

4. Asian Sense and Business Sensibility

5. The Compass

6. The Map

7. Eight Signposts to Success

8. Navigation Tools

9. Afterword

10. Sources and Notes

11. Index