Global marketing budgets, and inspiration, shift away from US: WFA

The survey also found that marketing best practices are increasingly found outside the US, with over 71 per cent of global marketers finding this to be true. Only 43 per cent agree that they can learn a lot from what happens in the US. 

 

While the US still stands out as the go-to market for best practices in social media, in other areas of marketing, a wide range of different countries have caught the eye as centres of excellence. Marketers cited the UK, continental Europe and Australia as "beacons of excellence" for integrated marketing. Korea, Japan and China stood out for mobile, and some European countries are noted for great creative execution. 

 

But is the US aware that other markets now factor into the equation? Three-quarters of marketers surveyed thought the US could learn a lot from marketers in other countries, but just 11 per cent think US marketers pay enough attention to what goes on in the rest of the world.

 

Nevertheless, the survey found evidence that global ideas are exchanged within the world's biggest companies. US ideas that have flown abroad include social-media strategies, shopper marketing and content strategy. International ideas that have penetrated the US include integrated marketing communications, events, mobile and ROI initiatives.

 

“While the US remains a beacon of best practice, notably in social media, marketers are now seeking ideas from right around the globe," said Stephan Loerke, managing director of the World Federation of Advertisers. "Our survey results highlight the emergence of a new multi-polar world for marketers, where best practice can occur in almost any market and where the smartest ideas should be imported and exported around the world.”