Why globals must act local in Asia while recognising diverse cultural differences
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
At an early Cannes Lions session Stephan Schwarz, executive creative director, LePub Singapore, spoke about how global brands can target a region as complex and diverse as Asia-Pacific, and be culturally resonant without losing their sense of identity.
Brewing Connection: How Heineken Refreshes Social Life In Asia also looked at how respecting local definitions of courage, beauty or community can unlock global relevance.
What separates true cultural resonance from token localisation? “Here’s the easiest test I know,” Schwarz said.
“Could you take the same ad, swap the language and the faces, and run it somewhere else? If yes, it was never local. It just looked local. Think about the really strong local brands, San Miguel, Singha, Bia Saigon. They have a home. They were born into a culture, they belong to it.”
According to Schwarz the biggest mistake global marketers make when entering Asian markets is showing up like they already have the answer and treating the market as somewhere to roll it out.
“One idea, nine markets, signed off, done. But there’s no such thing as ‘Asia’ as one market. Just take the festive season. It’s Tết in Vietnam, Chinese New Year in China, and uniquely celebrated in Singapore and Malaysia. One season, nine markets, no single playbook.”
Deciding which elements of a brand must remain universal and which should be
reinterpreted locally is crucial, he said. Citing the example of Heineken, he said the fixed proposition is ‘refreshing social life’.
“That doesn’t change anywhere. What changes is what actually needs refreshing, because that’s different in every market."
"In Seoul with ‘Rooftop Revival’, it was space people had completely forgotten
about. In Taiwan, with ‘Smootheriser’, it was a whole generation that didn’t feel beer was for them. So, keep the ‘why’ locked, leave the ‘how’ wide open.”
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