When discussing international marketing it is important to point out the difference that may exist
between international and global marketing. Global marketing can be characterized by an overall outlook
of the market as a whole where there is a standardized manner to sell a product or service in all places
(Bennett & Blythe, 2002, p.6). According to Chung, standardization as a form of marketing strategy refers
to the similarity of a set of practices implemented in the home and other foreign markets. Standardization
strategy’s main elements are political-legal, economic, competitive, cultural, and consumer, environments.
Also, the same research states that this strategy is most likely to be implemented if there are similarities in
the elements of the home and foreign country (Chung, 2003). Another concept Chung provides explains
that a firm with a strong level of standardization enjoys a high level of control within the organization.
This control is the level of decision making executed by the home office. At the same time, when
standardization applies, global image and product offering are two strong factors a firm seems to rely on.
Conversely, international marketing relates more to different target markets and their differences
rather than looking at it as one single market and foresees the possibility to implement a localization
strategy rather than standardization, as the global marketing would pursue. The findings of Van
Heerden & Barter suggest that “marketers cannot assume homogeneity of cultures across the globe and it
is surmised that there are not similarities and congruencies among the cultures within and between
countries” (2008). Therefore, the importance of establishing localization and adaptation is relevant to the
marketing strategy of any international company. In China for example, Coca-Cola has taken up the
“think local, act local” approach and it seems to be pretty effective since Coca-Cola has gained eight
percent increase in Asia-Pacific in 2000.In addition, Coca-Cola has given local managers control over
advertising operations, which is pretty impressive. Coca-Cola has included everything from Chinese
zodiac animals to Spring Festival couplets in its television commercials