Winning in international markets takes thoughtful strategy, and we learned some of these best practices from Canadian marcomms pros with expertise in bringing brands across the border – and vice versa. We heard from Craft Public Relations President Lisa Pasquin and J/PR SVP Kristin Moller in a conversation moderated by Finally and Fiscally director of brand and impact Daniella Macri on the nuances of adjusting campaigns for different markets, how to launch brands abroad and other principles that can be applied to international scenarios.

The takeaways: 

• We live in a global marketplace, and it’s important to recognize the nuances of different media markets. For example, Canada should not be treated as an extension of your US marcomms plan.
• Recognize the diversity within Canada. For instance, Quebec is a province with French as its first language.
• Educate your clients and teams on the best ways to connect with media on both sides of the border.
• Understand the distances between destinations in another country, including the most important cities and targets for your client.
• Success in Canada’s media relies on the quality of the outlet and its audience. Content must feel deeply relevant to Canadian readers, focusing on quality.
• Pitch tip: Even putting prices in CAD can help media feel acknowledged.
• Global advice for training teams: Read reporters’ pieces, ensure your pitch aligns with their regular content, and customize your piece to speak directly to them or their publication.
• Affiliate marketing in Canada is behind compared to the US, with slower adoption but growing steadily.