More 2 Marketing

Susan
More to marketing. Welcome to more to marketing. The podcaster explores marketing, product and everything in between. I’m your host Susan and today we are talking about expanding your brand to achieve greater results. I’m excited to introduce Anthony, who has been a managing director for one of the world’s largest advertising and technology businesses and a previous general manager. At a leading direct marketing Organism. In his role, Anthony has helped hundreds of companies expand to reach their full potential. But why am I talking? Still has introduced Anthony and hear more from him. Hello Anthony.
Anthony
Thanks, Susan. It’s great speaking to you and I hope you’re well. Congratulations on all the success of the podcast. I’ve been, I’ve been following it and love it. Congratulations.
Susan
Thank you and thank you. Appreciate that.
Anthony
And and I look, I guess a bit of background on myself and as you’ve mentioned. I’ve had the fortune of of holding a variety of leadership roles over just over the last 15 years in, in leadership and initially these roles started at Salmat, who was Australia’s largest direct marketing organisation, which at the time was a household name across Australia and New Zealand. There I was, I was focused on traditional media and later. Into into their digital. Properties and it really was a great foundation for me and had me working alongside Australia’s biggest brands, from finance to telco to to to traditional retail. So from there I I then transitioned from my general management role at sound map to Raketen and Ricketson is known globally, maybe not as much. In this market, so look, I’ll give you a bit of a. An insight there, I know you. I know you. Know them really well.
Susan
I know, I know them very, very well.
Anthony
So as as you mentioned, it’s one of the largest ecom and ad tech companies, it was originally found in Japan where it’s the largest e-commerce marketplace in that market, but also an online bank. You know one of the largest membership programmes, they also operate globally where they. Where they oversee cash back sites and connected TV and streaming businesses amongst many. And my role was managing director of their advertising business, which was their performance business as well as their media owned and operated. So I started the business in Australia and New Zealand and that’s where you and I connected many, many moons ago when one says how long ago that was.
Susan
Please don’t give away things.
Anthony
And and then we I moved over to overseeing the APAC market. So launched the business out in, in, in Singapore. And then moved to London to manage their European international markets before my last role, which was based in San Francisco or more so in in Menlo Park out there, overseen in North American arm. So lots of movement for me. And funny enough I get questions on raketen more about the Golden State Warriors and the sponsorship they have that with them. Than than anything else, so certainly the sponsorship is is paying off. But look I’ve I’ve now returned to Australia after being six years away and look really loving being back and it’s good to be back in in Australia and raising my and raising my kids out.
Susan
Ohh, fantastic and glad to have you back as well, but I I know that as part of your career part of it was really growing and spending all those businesses and I know you’ve had a huge passion for that too because as you mentioned you’ve been in multiple different regions and naturally you’ve got crossover with brands that go across the different regions as well. So how about we jump into? Let’s let’s just go straight to basics. What do you mean when we’re talking about expanding your brands beyond a border, what does that actually entail?
Anthony
OK, look for me. That term is looking to expand the reach of your products or services into new global markets. Now look, you could argue entering another state is expansion and look certainly in some areas of the US that’s absolutely the case given the size of States and the population and the like. However, my views are more. New market, new or emerging country expansion. So that’s what I I guess define as moving a brand beyond beyond your border.
Susan
And I think that’s probably a really good point there too, because as you said, a lot of people may just think it’s just ohh talk straight here. I’m in NSW. I’m gonna go to Queens. But it can be more than that and bigger than that. And that’s where some of the. Focus is a little bit different.
Anthony
Yeah. Certainly. I think when when you’re. When you’re talking about. Some of the things that you have to consider when you’re moving into a new, I’ll say country for now, probably a fair amount of complexity added versus moving from NSW to Queensland. That said, still a lot of complexity of moving into state. There’s some brands that they’re focused and become very much focused on on on their state. Which is great. And that you see that a lot in the US where it’s where it’s very, I guess, regionalized some of the brands versus being national brands. But yeah, I think certainly when we’re looking at expanding beyond your borders outside of your home market or home country, that’s where a lot more complexity comes in.
Susan
Yeah. And I and I assume there’s also a lot of key factors that a business should consider when they’re going to contemplate this expansion. So where would you think it’s start for before you actually do make that big move because it can cost a lot?
Anthony
It’s a big question. And look firstly the question for any brand, in my opinion is why, you know why expand overseas? Why expand it to a new market now? That may sound strange to ask, or also quite a basic question. And I say that because even though there there’s a mountain of data on on size of market or size of opportunity. It does require investment, as you’ve said. To be executed well, so if a brand has the resources to enter a new market, they should also consider if the new market expansion will negatively impact the investment in the current market and negatively impact their overall local success. So certainly that’s one thing to consider initially, but once they have made that decision. In regards to expanding factors such as like look, there’s a there’s a whole list, you know, market research and and selection. So really no, no gut feels I would suggest or or it’s really very much around data as the more attractive markets may not necessarily be the ones. For you, competitive landscape, political and legal factors that for me, you know, trade policies and local legislation tax, you know, the less the less sexy side of business sometimes, but really to understand the ease of doing business and then all the way to cultural factors and infrastructure. Logistics, economic factors, financial resources. As you mentioned, marketing and localization. HR and HR legislation, which is very different in different markets and then overall risk and how you’re positioned to to counter those risks so. Look. There’s a lot more to it, even more beyond that, but there’s some of the factors that you need to go into decision making process.
Susan
Yeah, 100%. And I think the cultural one is one that people don’t think about enough because every country is slightly different and you can’t expect that everyone’s going to be the same and how they like, even your name can make an impact. What are your? Thoughts of the cultural impact when you’re going across?
Anthony
Yeah, look, the, the. Yeah, cultural impact, cultural sensitivity or cultural understanding. Look, it’s it’s easy to say that it’s very important. And look, it is, but it depends on the market and it depends on what stage of the expansion you’re in. And again might might, might sound a little strange, but how many brands test the market 1st? So for example, they might ship to a market or run marketing efforts, but they leave logistics and you know, setting up offices and and and and showrooms or storefronts, you know, they do, they leave that all behind and and keep that in the home market. And they just want to test out a new A market. So that look, that is a good way to test. And in in this case they may decide to testing markets that are most like their home markets. So the cultural sensitivities potentially are less impactful than when you’re entering completely. So for example, if you know if you’re a. UK. Or US brand looking to enter Australia in the early. Where and when I launched racquets in here many brands from the US saw great results. They’re just shipping here and running marketing. So us Anau were similar. They didn’t bother changing their Z’s to SS’s for us on their site, some didn’t even, you know, change their seasons on their or their or their on their website. So which that was a mistake I would suggest but but they were open to testing and many were driving good percentage of online revenue from from a new market. By doing that, but it it really is when you want to enter a market aggressively and scale when you really need to even take those considerations and send a bit more seriously. But certainly there’s a lot more risks when you do want to enter and.
Susan
Yeah, and and for me, one of the classic examples is when movies come out, they do a whole pile of focus groups and research with the audience for the title of their movie alone. And there’s many classic examples out there of when Australia, for example, has a particular title for a movie, but it’s completely different. In the US or the UK, depending on the different market, what people are known for, even names are existing there. I know the morning show a a TV series in the. I think it’s a U.S. market, it it’s called the morning show over in the US and I believe it’s got Jennifer Aniston. I think you know. Someone else, but they.
Susan
But in Australia they can’t call it that. They called it something completely different. So I I love. I love your thoughts and bring in the data and the research in the market to make sure that when you do. You’ve actually got something. To back you there as well.
Anthony
Yeah, and it’s. And the research needs to be and you mentioned had focus groups and the like as well, but then you’re entering a new market and there’s so much legislation, there’s so many things that need to be considered, you know, political and like I said, political and legal factors, cultural factors that we’ve talked about just now. And then if you’re an E COM business, which is where I helped a lot of. As as in in in my history as as you know, really understanding you know the infrastructure, you know, logistics and even just simply. Yeah, when I. Moved from to London or in the US, just understanding you know the the the playing field over there, hyper competitive across most markets particularly in the US Amazon is is a clear leader and they’ve really lifted the bar when it comes to delivery and returns and. That’s hard to keep up with. You know, they, they’ve obviously got a lot more funds than a lot of brands. So yeah, that’s what you’re competing with over there. So a lot of considerations when going into a new market, some that are. Some that are simple or can be quickly understood and others that really do need to look at your supply chain or your partnerships or your overall approach to the market.
Susan
Exactly. I think there’s some. There’s some really great examples of key factors to consider because a lot of people may not have thought about all of them.
Anthony
Correct, great. And look, I didn’t even touch like things. I didn’t even touch on. Even things like online shopping behaviour or leg language and localization, which you touched on there a little bit when it comes to. Language you have. Payment options, consumer acquisition costs, it’s a lot different in Southeast Asia than it is in it, be it in China or be it in, in the US or be it in the UK or Europe and even media. Yeah, yeah, yeah. When you’re looking at when I was overseeing the APAC business, social media platforms or search platforms, completely different than we’re accustomed to in, I’ll say, loosely, Western society, you can you can try, but you’re not gonna get any scale unless. You’re on Baidu or WeChat, or pack our talk or line. You know, these these, these are these are businesses that we’ve never heard of in a lot of markets, but you need to if you’re entering APAC.
Susan
Exactly. As an example, and they’ve got certainly different behaviours that are different as well. It’s not like your traditional, say, Pinterest or Insta. They’ve all got their own little nuances or groups or segmentations. Within them that show different behaviours. Wait, wait, chat for May. I’m. I’m still exploring and learning that all the time, but the amount of sales that just go through on WeChat alone is insane.
Anthony
Correct. Yeah, correct. And look, it’s well, you could also say the same thing for in Japan with line or there’s other examples and you know loosely termed as you know super apps, but there’s a great example is QR codes. Now I started my career in print and in.
Anthony
Blog and we attempted QR codes many, many, many years ago and look, it just didn’t take off. The technology was ready, but if you went into many markets in Asia.
Susan
Too early, yeah.
Anthony
The QR code was was how you were ordering off the menu years before COVID, and it was all built out through super apps and you can make your payment and then you could. It’s just social platform and it’s everything was in one. Central point and and if you look at, if you go into Asia and you see how many apps people have, I’ve got enough just in in Australia. Now it’s two threefold in that market and but these are the things you need to understand when you’re entering a new market and and look even really basic things. And I’ve, I’ve, I’ve worked with a lot of retailers. And entering the Australian market for many brands that were looking to enter, I took them. Shopping. You know, it took them to the local shopping centre or the local, I guess. High Street. We don’t call high streets here, but the local high streets. So look, this is your competitor set, this is. How? People shop in, interact in Australia. First thing I did when I went to London, I went shopping. I went looking around the streets and seeing how people are shopping there and did the. Same thing in the US. Typing behaviours. Each of these markets so you know simple things like that versus understanding tax implications or HR law are things you need to really wrap your head around.
Susan
Yeah, I still remember one of the very first. Examples of QR code. Which which was I can’t remember what Asian country it was, but in a train station or the equivalent. People were short on time to be able to get their supermarket deliveries, so it had a wall plastered with what looked like a supermarket, as if you’re walking down it, but you’re in the train station waiting for your train on the platform, and you could just QR code along the way for your milk, your bread, wherever it was, pay for it. Then on there on the platform waiting for your train, and then it’ll be delivered to your door. Almost as soon as you got home as well.
Anthony
Phenomenal. Phenomenal, right.
Susan
Exactly. And that was a long time ago.
Anthony
Correct. And I know I had that experience in Japan. Obviously rackets and being it was a Japanese company and going to Japan a lot which was which was great. You know business wise bills are just culturally and personally to understand different markets there sack what they did, you know the the train stations are almost e-commerce businesses themselves, but that’s what you’re competing against. So you really need to understand your competitive set, certainly, but also. From a consumer perspective, what the standards are and in some markets the standards are pretty high or they’re quite complex. You know you go to, you go to Germany and cash on delivery is still a is a payment method.
Susan
Ohh, that’s feel. It’s fascinating. I didn’t know.
Anthony
That crazy right? Well, well, it’s not crazy. It’s just different. So those, these are the things that you need to understand even when you’re going to markets that you think should be like Australia or the US or UK. So again things to consider.
Susan
To actually get out there, get on the road and walk around and experience it yourself.
Anthony
Sounds really simple, but again, this is more focused in on on retail. Yep, that’s the first thing that many brands do, and I’ve, I’ve I’ve helped a few brands launch Australia, they get here and they say Anthony, let’s go shopping. Yeah, I don’t. I actually don’t like. Shopping that much. So look, I’ll take you here and. I’ll take you there. But that’s what we’re looking at. At the at the the visual merchandise how people consume the media people. How?
Susan
That’s everything.
Anthony
Yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s brilliant. When a brand launched into a market and does it well.
Susan
I I still remember when I helped launch some of the first digital signage within Australia.
Susan
So such a different process to actually have interactive TV’s that at different times of the day or even different locations, we’re showing different content to try and help those consumers in those areas make informed decisions.
Anthony
Correct. Yeah, and I think. That’s an important point because. Why this has become so much more again complex of the right word, because there’s things that you can do quite easily to get across the data, right? This is not, you know, not this is not the first first time people have launched in the US or launched in Australia. There’s a lot. Of. Learnings out there that you probably don’t have to leave your your laptop too often, but.
Susan
Hmm.
Anthony
One thing to consider, what that has changed over the years is just technology. Again, simple question. Simple simple thing, right?
Anthony
People are accustomed to Netflix getting getting things what you want.
Susan
Instantaneous.
Anthony
A lot of instant tailing, they’re accustomed to Uber. I remember having to call taxis. You know, I’ve shown my age a little bit. But you you’re waiting 30-40 minutes at best. If you lived in the Western southern where I grew up. If that turned up so now and Amazon again. Keep saying Amazon on this on this podcast. But you know, they’re they’re the standard.
Susan
If they turned up. Is there a good example?
Anthony
Stand when it comes to logistics and delivery. This is your competitor set, even though it’s not necessarily. Well, I’m not a streaming service. Anthony, what are you talking about? Or, you know, I don’t compete with Amazon or I’m not competing with Uber or in the US, Uber and Lyft, for me, it’s that’s what people. That’s their standard that the consumers are now comparing you to. I get upset when my Uber is 7 minutes away, not 3 minutes.
Susan
Moving towards.
Anthony
Right. It’s, it’s. It’s so bizarre how expectations have changed, and then these are the things you need. To think. About when you enter new markets. The the the research is is required. Some research is easy to come by others you need to get boots on the ground and and go and have a look.
Susan
And I’ve said this on many of my other podcasts. I don’t think people do enough with data that they’ve got already.
Susan
Before they even go looking for other data because it I think that if you say I know a digital, you’ve got digital platform that means you’ve got analytics that means you can actually follow behaviour that means you have a base and you can actually see what people are finding more useful. You could even survey them and find out more information from them. And most of the time, they’re willing to share. Because they wanting to either improve and hopefully their advocates will love you as well. But I think a lot of the time businesses may even jump to go overseas or go to new markets and don’t even look at what they’ve got now.
Anthony
Correct. Correct and I think. That’s where it often starts from online revenue, where you go. Right. I’m getting a lot of traffic from this market.
Let me dig Into that a little bit more. OK, let’s maybe start to turn. And on. Can we ship there? Oh. We already shipped there. Great, we can do that. Our shipping is probably not great. So let’s see a partner that can help us get our shipping sorted out a little bit better. Great, there’s partners that help you do that. Ohh, hang on, let’s look at right driving some marketing activity. It might be a market where you know it’s the same. Social platforms. Google. ‘S prevalent OK, I can just expand what I’m doing here. Into that market. Ohh, hang on, I’m getting more activity and I think that’s where it often starts.
Susan
Hmm.
Anthony
Where it doesn’t work well I’ve seen is. I’m really interested in going to new markets. Let’s go. Let’s enter China. OK. I hear this a lot. Actually, I I see why people say it. Right, it’s. Significant market.
Susan
Big monkey.
Anthony
Your product may resonate there, right? But it’s complex and and all those things that I sort of listed out and I probably listed out, I missed many that’s a lot different than. Eventually, and it’s not easy either entering the UK or entering the US from Australia, maybe that’s a bit easier. Maybe the size of market, but then your competitive that’s different. And so these are the considerations and the debates you need to be having internally if you are looking to expand.
Susan
And that’s where sort of business case comes in too. A really stick true business. Place where you’re not just fluffing the numbers to make it look good, so you’ve got.
Anthony
An ego. Hey. Yeah, look, and that’s actually a good point. And and I’ve been in conversations where we need to be big and I keep picking on the US cause that’s the market I just returned from because people want to be big in the US it makes complete sense. But you raised it at the top of the call on top of the podcast. Sorry. Have you have you? Are you thinking about investment there because and look, you know, even in one of my channels when I was at rackets and, you know, it was a Phillip market with you know. Dominant player there. Even the differences in affiliate marketing from Australia, if you’re a big Australian brand running a film market, the publishers are going to be putting you on their sites and giving you good placements and and good and good and good access there to their data entering the US is a completely different ball game. If you’re, if you’re not a significant player, which if you’re just launching, you’re not going to be necessarily. Then it’s pay for. OK.
Susan
Exactly.
Anthony
But you have to pay so different mindset, different budgets required and and that I think is the is the key key learning for me and whenever I talk about expanding globally you you have to keep an open mind again seems simple but what worked in your market may not necessarily work in the new market.
Susan
Exactly. And that’s where you’re gonna get other tools out of your kit bag. Things like influencers or partnerships. See how they can help you in that new market to actually get a bit of cut through. So you actually getting to your right target market at the same time?
Anthony
Correct. And you and. We we touched on it already. You know our marketing and these are some of the things that.
Anthony
Sort of seeing go wrong and it’s sometimes marketing is one of those where and I and I saw this primarily in APAC where as I said, different marketing channels and that they do and we chat and Kakao talk is it a marketplace strategy, is it a KOL or influence the strategy? I’ve seen, you know brands look to enter with Western search and social strategies. They simply just don’t apply. And and you also hear a lot of brains making errors when it comes to understanding cultural sensitivity, which you mentioned. Earlier, which can almost shut you down instantly in new markets. So yeah, lots to consider and and and lots. Lots of research as you said.
Susan
I think that’s one thing I’ve seen shift in a lot of marketing and I’m even looking at things like some of the American top marketing spots like Super Bowl. Whatever it is. There’s a lot more. Ultra diversity coming out now. I remember 30 years ago where most of the time, if you’re in, say Australia, you’d mostly see Anglo people within the ads, but now Fast forward 30 years, it’s now a a mixed family or mixed situation.
Susan
Options. So I’m seeing a lot more of that now up here in other cultural pieces as well, not necessarily from the Asian areas, but definitely from UK and USA. I’m starting to see more of that blended approach to marketing visuals at least. So they’re trying to represent more people.
Anthony
Well, society is diverse, isn’t it? And you’re, and typically your consumer base is diverse. And if you’re appealing to only one.
Susan
Exactly.
Anthony
Cultural background or or whatever it may be. Then you’re limiting your your ability to grow, and you’re, and you’re also not being inclusive when it comes to to others testing out your brand. So you may you may have target audiences and demographic profiles of your product that’s marketing, right, you’ve got to.
Anthony
Do that but. I think we’re brands have understood now is that firstly your target market still probably respects and appreciates diversity in what they’re seeing. The different different thoughts, different processes, etc. And everything that comes with that. But your consumers are now, I would presume a lot more diverse than maybe they were. And other things. Imagery is a big one when you’re entering a new market and you talked about. APAC. Gotta get that right. We’re obviously not gonna have people that can resonate with your brand and and I think that’s where a lot of it.
Susan
Comes down to and I think there’s probably correct me if I’m wrong with some of the mistakes really happen when entering and expanding into new markets. Is that they don’t consider that what they’ve got now in their current kit of this is my visual. This is how my colours are, whatever it could be, they they may not understand how they transfer when they go over to another market.
Anthony
Yeah, that that’s a really good point and and not necessarily to count to that because that is absolutely key. But what we’ve seen certainly I’ve seen over the years is that we’ve become as consumers and particularly the new generations coming through. They’re a lot more globally minded. And culturally aware, I would suggest, right. So and and as an example and.
Anthony
For US brands, when I was when I was over there, they wanted to appeal. As I mentioned earlier to the, you know, Chinese market to China. And you know, we gave, I gave you to give some advice in terms of entering that market, which we talked about and as it comes with new answers and things and and a lot of things to consider.
Anthony
Of brands. What I did say to a lot of brands were look. That market is already finding your brand in the US. They’re accustomed to shopping on US sites, they work through their social network, influence our key opinion leaders and understand your brand. Already the data is telling us that.
Susan
Hmm.
Anthony
They’re already drop shipping from US into China. Yep. So U.S. President. And I said, well, you may not need to enter right now if you haven’t got the funds and you’re not prepared to invest. There are things you can do to still appeal to those consumers, be it being on China focused publishers. If you’re in the affiliate world or in the. Display. World and that’s where you can start to change your imagery and change your content for those publishers, you may not need to change your. Right. But at this point, but you can do things that appeal to that user base if that’s what you want to do so.
Anthony
Hopefully I’m scared the audience was saying that it’s it’s complex, but yeah, because it is. I think it’s stating the obvious, but there’s also things you can do to test before you launch into a new market and is and you know. And entering APAC, you’ll be surprised how savvy. APAC consumers are probably the most savvy in the world. They will figure your brand out, but if you offend them then then good luck getting them back.
Susan
Yeah, and. And that game is those nuances you spoke about too, which I I really do appreciate. But do you think there’s any other key ones that really stick out to about? Key mistakes people should or businesses should really make sure that they don’t make. Like offending is definitely up there high making sure that their audience understands the product and potentially even the why of going into the. Market. Are there any other key mistakes that you think are maybe just one more that that might help businesses understand what to avoid?
Anthony
Yeah, I’ll give you. Maybe, maybe two if I can squeeze in two the the first one, we we all we talked about. So I’ll move quickly through it. But it is very much around.
Susan
Go for it.
Anthony
That. Investment now it sounds again. Simple, but the the big mistake that people make for firstly is they don’t test. So we’ve talked about testing. They’re not testing, they’re trying to enter. So that’s that’s a, that’s a mistake. You need to be looking at testing. I would suggest because you know mistakes can happen, but when you know executed correctly can be really lucrative. When you enter a new market so.
Susan
MHM.
Anthony
Testing again sounds basic, but people are a bit more excited and they skip it and they’re.
Susan
Table skip it.
Anthony
Trying. To enter, but that lack of investment, you know, we talked about marketing and mistakes people can make, but that lack of investment in new markets. Is. Where I’ve seen people really not. Meet the opportunity.
Susan
Hmm.
Anthony
But more so place their existing business at under extreme burden. So tackling a new market like the US for example, is lucrative. They operate somewhat similar to Australia, but it’s very costly to winning market share and it’s highly competitive. So and service and delivering the like that I’ve talked about already. So really something to think about is are you prepared to invest in this in this market and the other one which people often forget about is is that HR.
Anthony
People, people and culture perspective. When you’re entering a new market. To to think that you know, I give an examples, but you know to enter the French market from the UK, just HR law is a lot.
Susan
Different. OK.
Anthony
Hiring terminating is a lot different, so you need to consider that.
Susan
Make sure you don’t get. Caught out.
Anthony
Yeah. Well, you seem to understand that it’s gonna, you know, and even just to hire people, you know from from Australia. When I went to the UK. I used to think, well, hang on. Why? Have you got three months notice period? I I need. You now well. Everyone’s got 3 minutes here in the in the same, same across many markets of Europe, but then even unfortunate moving on people is a lot more complex. And then the laws around the bodies in the French market, for example, are a lot different to the UK, which is a lot different to Australia, so. They’re things that people often get surprised about because maybe they haven’t thought about those HR impacts to their business and hiring the right people quickly is often very important when you’re entering your market. So we talked a lot about other mistakes, but maybe that one, there is something that’s often forgotten.
Susan
Yeah. I I I do agree. I had no idea about that. So that was very informative for me about how Europe is a bit different there. But and another one that comes to mind for me is and it’s very prevalent right now is data and the impacts of data across globally in different regions and how that impacts your privacy laws as well. I think a lot of businesses don’t realise the impact that could have on their existing tech stack and what that could mean.
Susan
They parked and service as well.
Anthony
Correct and JPR in Europe was. Sure, was the first real, you know, you know, regional drive here and we saw we saw it in in the, in California, in the US and we’re seeing in Brazil we’re seeing in other markets and. It’s something’s absolutely to consider, and that is really important. Actually. I’m glad you raised it because if you get that wrong, it can be very, very costly. As you’ve seen with a lot of big tech companies that have made that made errors there. So and if you’re a smaller business and you get that wrong.
Anthony
And I just said how how costly it can be to enter in your market and then you also get hit with a fine, but also, you know your consumers are concerned about how you’ve treated their data then that’s. That is going to be a big risk, so that’s something to completely understand. That really comes down to legislation and you know about entering a new market that you need to. Be aware of that has really come in the last five years and consistently evolved so to keep top of mind you need to really get. The right advice?
Susan
Yeah, governance is definitely one that I think a lot of those smaller businesses, they go, oh, I can just do drop shipping, blah blah, don’t understand the impact it could have.
Anthony
Correct, correct and and it’s being picked up. Yeah, yeah. They started with the the larger tech companies as we all saw. But you know, smaller businesses which. Probably can’t afford the the scrutiny there have been impacted as well. So yeah, and it’s evolving. It is actually really complex even for big tech companies to stay across what’s happening. And we used to have big privacy teams helping us out and and advising clients and and we had funds to to back that. A lot of brands don’t, so getting the right advice is important.
Susan
Exactly. 100%.
Susan
I’m going to change the the topic a little bit to make it. A bit more happier. Ohh I was happy. That we’re talking about, like people losing businesses.
Anthony
Oh yeah, sorry.
Susan
Daughter was like that. But what excites you about growing brands? I know this is something you love, but what is it that excites you so much?
Yeah. Look, I think we. Have said I’ve I haven’t been.
Anthony
Too negative. I’ve. I’ve talked about all the complexities of entering a new. Market but.
That’s good. Look what? What when?
Anthony
It’s done right. It’s really lucrative. It’s really it can be and I often speak to brands, even since I’ve been back the last two months in Australia, I’ve gone out and meeting with retail tailors and they look.
Let’s say look.
Anthony
Us or APAC is my biggest market now and so and these are Australian brands and look, I’m obviously pretty patriotic when it comes to this. Even though travel the world I’ve and I’ve built a career around this and love seeing brands expand globally. Be it entering Australia from overseas or or expanding beyond. And and even though I’ve said honestly, there’s many factors, it’s it is really rewarding and as a passionate Izzy, I really enjoy seeing brands take on the biggest market in the world being the US. That’s what really gets me excited and having having lived there in the US, there’s a lot of Aussie brands over there that are thriving. So I I get a kick. Kind of helping brains or helping brains do that. So that’s what really gets me going when it comes to expansion, when it’s done well, you can really, you know, you can really make a difference to your business by entering your mark.
Susan
I could I could just visualise that proud moment of a a business owner in Australia going into a shop in the US somewhere and just seeing their product there.
Anthony
Absolutely.
Susan
Or even just seeing someone buy their product in front of them. That would be such an amazing experience. To go through that.
Anthony
Correct. And look, I’ve I’ve spoken to them. I’ve spoken to many brands where they wanted to test going into a new market. There’s a big Australian brands, our big retail brands or their deceit brands that have entered a department store or whatever it may be and and they just do so well and it’s great. I think there’s actually an appetite. For Australian brands globally and just the Australian way of doing things, is is is well received so. I think there’s been a lot of brands that have done it well and some great case studies of of Aussie brands being successful. So you know that that really gives me a kick, not just Australian brands. I love expanding any brand globally, but I think for me, yeah, when I see an Aussie brand doing well, particularly in the US market, that really because it’s, I know it’s tough, that’s that really gets puts a smile on her face.
Susan
Amazing. So I’m gonna now ask you my final question.
Susan
Hello I ask everyone this.
Anthony
Yes. OK, good.
Susan
So what brand can be any brand in the world? You don’t have to be patriotic. This represents you and why?
Anthony
I do love this question when you ask it, it’s great. So look, I I I really wish I could say a sports brand right now, but my physical activity has been really terrible this year. So I I I I.
I don’t think. You can say.
Susan
You have a heart of an XYZ.
Anthony
I really need to pick that up, so if I do a podcast again about it in the future, I hope I say a sports brand because that might represent me better. But so look I. Hey, I’m going to say Lego.
I’m going to say.
Anthony
Like, look, I’m gonna say Lego because globally minded. Yeah, it’s fun. Hopefully there’s been some photo this podcast with people trustworthy and similar to me can at times be complex with some of those Legos. But given how much I’m spending with them with my two boys.
Susan
Def. Really.
Anthony
I may as well give them a plug here and hope I’ll get some free blocks set my way as a result. But look, Lego and I I love what they’re doing, they’re great brand, they’ve been a great brand for many years. That’s I think that represents me the most if if I spend my camera around my house, that next room next.
Anthony
To me will be full. Of Lego on the floor, so that that’s probably me at.
Susan
The moment Lego, I love it and I do think that fits you quite well because you’ve got so much eclectic background that you can build something amazing out of it too.
Anthony
Ohh thank you. There you go. I I should have. Said that.
Susan
The market assigned me comes out.
Anthony
Absolutely.
Susan
Before we wrap up, do you have any final thoughts that you’d like to share with? The audience.
Yeah. Look, I.
Anthony
Think when I get asked about global expansion, I say and as I said earlier, really keep an open mind and an open mind to potentially doing things differently because what works in your home market may and it could, but it may need a different approach in new markets. And I think that’s if I was, if I was having a final word, that’s probably what I’d say to people. Let’s keep an open mind and and let’s really be successful because when you do it well, it’s really it’s, it can be fantastic. So yeah, that’s probably my my last piece of advice to people.
Susan
Awesome. Thank you so much, Anthony. So just to recap, we were talking about what is actually expanding into new markets. It is more about the global approach and also looking at the new markets and the emerging markets that makes sense for you. But you’ve always got to go back and ask the question why? Why are you expanding is and you need to make sure you invest to execute. Well, otherwise you’re just gonna fall on your face. You wanna make sure you have the right impact and best of all, data and market research will help you get there. Test that market. Ensure that you have the right investment because lack of investment can be one of the big problems that you may face. And don’t forget to also include governance, HR, people and culture. And last of all, have an open mind to your approach because you don’t know what this new market may look until you actually start exploring it. Thank you again so much, Anthony.
Anthony
Thank you.
Susan
I’m I’m so happy. Yes. No, I’m so happy to have you here today. But don’t forget everyone else. Add more to marketing to your playlist so you don’t miss out any more.
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