MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth Episode: How to Connect Global and Local Messaging for Your Brand
Release Date: May 14, 2025
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Natalie Kelly, CMO of Zappy and Co-Author of Brand Global Adapt Local

Introduction

In this episode of the MarTech Podcast ™, host Benjamin Shapiro engages with Natalie Kelly, the Chief Marketing Officer of Zappy and co-author of Brand Global Adapt Local. The discussion centers on the critical strategies for brands to harmonize their global and local messaging effectively, leveraging technology to maintain a coherent brand voice across diverse markets.

The Imperative of Integrated Global and Local Messaging

Natalie Kelly opens the conversation by emphasizing the unprecedented connectivity of today's global market:

“Brands now are more globally connected than ever before. The second you have a website, you're global or at least people can go and learn about your brand.”
— Natalie Kelly [01:40]

She highlights that digital platforms extend a brand's reach instantaneously across borders, necessitating a strategic approach to messaging that resonates both globally and locally.

Challenges of Maintaining Brand Consistency

Kelly discusses the diminishing control brands have over localized content due to self-service tools that allow consumers to translate and interact with content in their native languages:

“Brands are in some ways in less control than ever before because they can't just say, oh, I'm only going to launch this for this one market.”
— Natalie Kelly [01:40]

This democratization of content dissemination means brands must proactively ensure their messaging remains consistent and aligned with their global identity, even as it adapts to local nuances.

Leveraging Technology for Messaging Consistency

The conversation delves into the role of technology, particularly AI tools, in encoding and maintaining a brand's voice across different regions:

“There are tools now where people can self serve and translate your content into their native language... brands need to be as well [connected globally and locally].”
— Natalie Kelly [01:40]

Kelly explains how artificial intelligence can aid in preserving the integrity of brand messaging by automating translations and ensuring that local adaptations stay true to the brand's core values and tone.

Platforms Amplifying Global Reach

Benjamin Shapiro adds to the discussion by pointing out how social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram serve as double-edged swords, offering expansive reach while challenging brands to maintain message control:

“The moment you put it on TikTok or the moment you put on Instagram, people can find it from anywhere.”
— Natalie Kelly [00:40]

This highlights the necessity for brands to develop agile strategies that can swiftly adapt to the dynamic and far-reaching nature of these platforms.

Strategic Timing and Targeted Messaging

Kelly underscores the importance of timing and precision in reaching the right audience with tailored messages:

“If we're reaching out to the right person with the right message and a clear call to action, then it's just a matter of timing.”
— Natalie Kelly [00:40]

By aligning message delivery with audience readiness and local market dynamics, brands can enhance engagement and drive more effective marketing outcomes.

Conclusion and Final Insights

As the episode wraps up, Kelly reinforces the necessity for brands to integrate their global strategies with local execution seamlessly:

“Customers in local markets are more globally connected than ever before. So therefore brands need to be as well.”
— Natalie Kelly [01:40]

This encapsulates the episode's central theme: successful brands today must navigate the complexities of a globally interconnected marketplace by leveraging technology to maintain unified yet locally resonant messaging.

Key Takeaways

• Global Connectivity: With digital platforms, brands inherently possess a global presence, necessitating cohesive messaging strategies.
• Control Over Content: The rise of self-service translation tools requires brands to proactively manage their global and local messaging to maintain consistency.
• Role of AI: Artificial intelligence serves as a crucial tool in automating translations and preserving the brand voice across different languages and cultures.
• Platform Dynamics: Social media platforms amplify a brand's reach but also demand agile and controlled messaging strategies to manage widespread dissemination.
• Strategic Messaging: Effective marketing hinges on delivering the right message to the right audience at the optimal time, tailored to both global standards and local preferences.

Further Engagement

For those interested in exploring these strategies in more depth, Natalie Kelly's insights are available through her LinkedIn profile and on Zappy's website, Zappy IO. Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the MarTech Podcast ™ for more expert discussions on the intersection of marketing and technology.

This summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, highlighting the critical discussion points and insights shared by Natalie Kelly on connecting global and local messaging for brands.