Swedish companies have a unique competitive advantage through their origin. Unfortunately too few use this strategically, probably in an attempt to appear “global”. But lacking a clear origin risks making your brand homeless in your customers’ minds, or in worst case being associated with parts of the world that is not seen so positive. In both cases, your chances of closing deals decrease.
When you’re on home turf, your audience often knows who you are and what you stand for. But when you’re entering new markets, there are two things your potential customer will judge you by. Long before you meet – and regardless of whether you want them to or not – your potential customer will form an opinion about you based on two frames of reference:
- What industry you are in
- What country you come from
Think of how companies are described in business media: Scania is a Swedish truck manufacturer, Lufthansa is a German airline and Apple is an American consumer electronics company. This happens to you too, in your potential customer’s minds. From the start, this creates associations and expectations – what your company is assumed to excel at or be less reliable in. Your industry determines who you’re compared to, and your country of origin affects how credible your desired brand associations are.
All positioning strategies are about creating differentiation – something that sets your brand apart from the competition. And since a company’s country of origin impacts the credibility of its positioning, it’s fortunate that few countries are as positively differentiated as Sweden. Globally, Sweden stands for progressiveness, honesty and technical development – but with respect for the environment and human values. Not bad values to align your company with…
So, no doubt there are advantages to connect your company with its origins. And there are two primary ways to do it:
1) Explicit Swedishness: You can use Sweden as part of your message. Well-known examples are IKEA painting their stores blue and yellow, Volvo and their campaign “Made by Sweden” and Absolut Vodka, with “Country of Sweden” on the label.
2) Implicit Swedishness: You can use Sweden as the reason to believe in your arguments, eg environmental awareness. Instead of explicitly mentioning Sweden, use a Swedish tone and a clean, minimalist visual language – in many international contexts, that’s enough to create a unique identity.
But remember: it’s not about where products are made or where your company is registered – it’s about where your customers believe your brand belongs. Apple’s phones are made in China, but the brand lives in California. IKEA is Swedish, regardless of where its foundation is registered or where Billy bookcases are manufactured.
To summarize: Sweden offers a unique positioning opportunity since it represents many positive associations. It’s there, it’s available and it’s free. So why don’t use it strategically to get a competitive advantage?
Too much Sweden in this article? Don’t worry, most countries have similar opportunities in different fields. Countries very similar to Sweden in the world’s view is our Nordic neighbors as well as Switzerland and Canada. If you want to read more, this is a good place to start: https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/wvs.jsp
Do you want to know more about how to position yourself to win, just reach out to ulf.vanselius@comprend.com