Global Communication Plan for NationaliTeas

The expansion of NationaliTeas into global markets is going to potentially increase
the company’s revenues and profits. However, for the global expansion strategy to be
effective, the company needs to develop a communication plan that will ensure all its
communications, both internal and external, are culturally sensitive and professional. This
paper presents such a communication plan with the focus of implementation being India.

Part One: Analysis

Target audience
As part of its global expansion strategy, the company will be targeting the Indian
market. In terms of demographics, the company targets customers aged between 20 to 60
years, either employed or are students, both male and female with cities as their primary
residence. In terms of religion, the target audience is composed of Hindus, Muslims, and
Christians of South Asian ethnic groups who are either Hindi or English-speaking. This
information is beneficial in creating effective global communication because it ensures that
the message conveyed in the communication will be relevant, culturally sensitive, and
delivered in a language that the audience understands.
Risk assessments
Expansion into the Indian market carries significant risks. Given the fact that the
online marketplace is not as developed as it is the case in many developed countries, the
business runs the risk of not having adequate customers to sustain it. Additionally, language
barriers may impede the ability of the company to adequately satisfy customer needs.
Cultural and social factors

3
Cultural and social factors have an impact on how a given message is received in
different countries. India is a relatively conservative country. Therefore, it is important to
craft messages in a manner that does not offend the sensibilities of the people in the country.
Any message deemed to be offensive may have serious negative consequences for the
business.
Political and economic factors
Governments often have policies and regulations that govern communication through
mass media, including the content of the communication. To make sure that there is no
running afoul of these policies and regulations it is important to be well-versed in them
before making any communication through mass media. As for economic factors, the
resources budgeted for funding the communication as well as the cost of advertising through
mass media in India will have an impact on how the company’s message reaches its targeted
audience.

Part Two: Best Practices

Defining standards and principles
To guide the company’s internal and external messaging, and general business
practices, the company will use the principle of cultural and environmental inclusivity. Such
a principle fosters respect and understanding among different people (Jandt, 2017). Using this
principle as a guide, it will ensure that the company’s communication is culturally sensitive
and its business practices are guided by respect for local people, their culture, and their
environment.
Proactive benefits

4
By using the identified global standard of cultural inclusivity and using it as a guide
for its internal and external communications as well as for its business practices, the company
will benefit by always having culturally sensitive communication. Such kind of
communication is likely to help the company to get significant goodwill from customers
(Pikhart, 2017). In turn, the goodwill will have a positive impact on the business operations
of the company. Additionally, such kind of communication is likely to win the company
partners to help its business to grow faster in the new market. More importantly, it will help
the company to avoid costly mistakes that may result in, among other things, boycott of the
company’s products due to use of language or messaging that is culturally insensitive, racist,
or discriminatory.
Potential miscommunication
Miscommunication can have immense negative consequences for a business. It can
make a business to lose customers, suppliers, and other important stakeholders needed to help
the business to succeed (Tarozzi & Torres, 2016). To lessen the likelihood of
miscommunication to both the internal and external audiences of the company, the company
will ensure that all communication is reviewed by a team specifically set up for such
purposes to ensure that all communications are accurate, use appropriate language, and are
culturally sensitive.
International law and ethical considerations
There are both national and international laws that guide communication from
business entities. The key thing will be to ensure that no communication from the company is
aired that misleads the public. For instance, in promoting the company’s tea, there will be no
inclusion of benefits that the tea does not have.

Part Three: Messaging

5

Media channels and communication methods
To communicate to the selected global audience, the company will use both new and
traditional media channels. The new media channels that will be used will be social media
platforms, particularly Instagram while television will be used among the traditional media
channels. Instagram will be used because, as a photo-sharing platform, it is ideal for
marketing products whose visual appeal can attract new customers. The platform is also
popular with young people who form an important market segment that the company seeks to
attract. As for television, it has been chosen because it is popular with the most lucrative
market segment in the online tea business – older people who are over 50 years.
Media message
The message that the communication will seek to convey is the name of the product,
its price, the value that customers will gain by using it, and the drinking experience.
Accompanying the message will be an image of a family smiling as they take NationaliTeas.
Possible message to be used is “NationaliTeas is a healthy drink for young, middle-aged, and
old people who like to have fun and taking care of their body”. This message is appropriate
because it specifies the name of the brand, its benefits to consumers, and the targeted market
segment in terms of age.
Rationale
The chosen communication channels, Instagram and television, are effective in
reaching young people and older people respectively. The two channels also happen to be
very popular in India thus guaranteeing that the message will reach a large number of
customers within the targeted market segment. Additionally, they allow the company to use
visuals, which are a key ingredient of marketing a drink such as tea. As for the message, it
captures the product’s market segment as well as the benefits that consumers get from using

6
the product. In the case of NationaliTeas, the benefits are relaxation and a variety of health
benefits. The choice of the two media channels follows best practices in global
communication which hold that the channel used to convey a message should be one that is
likely to reach a large portion of the target market segment.

7

References

Jandt, F. E. (2017). An introduction to intercultural communication: Identities in a global
community. Sage Publications.
Pikhart, M. (2017). Managerial communication and its changes in the global intercultural
business world. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 37, p. 01013). EDP Sciences.
Tarozzi, M., & Torres, C. A. (2016). Global citizenship education and the crises of
multiculturalism: Comparative perspectives. Bloomsbury Publishing.