This article was published on DesignRush by Andrea Surnit. You can read the original version here.
As companies scale across borders, branding is often treated as a checklist item. In reality, strong branding is a make-or-break lever for global success. In fact, 62% of consumers say they have an emotional connection to the brands they buy from most, according to a Capital One Shopping research. That connection doesn’t happen by accident, and it rarely survives lazy localization or fragmented messaging.
Reetta Ilo, CEO of San Francisco Agency, works with high-growth startups and scaleups to get this right, helping them define their voice, earn visibility, and adapt their story for different cultural and business landscapes. I spoke with her about the most common branding mistakes companies make during international expansion and the three non-negotiables she believes every brand needs before launch.
1. Localize Messaging or Risk Brand Failure
A recurring pitfall in global brand expansion is the belief that direct translation equals localization. But literal translations rarely build trust. And in many cases, this actively damages it.
Without messaging tailored to a region’s cultural context and emotional language, even the most innovative brand can appear tone-deaf, generic, or out of touch. In some cases, what sounds persuasive in one country might come off as insensitive or irrelevant in another.
“Too often, companies just simply translate their materials into the local language and think that’s enough — it definitely is not,” Reetta explains.
She adds that effective communication must align with local values and expectations. Failure to do so doesn’t just dilute your brand, it can lead to embarrassing missteps, or worse, brand damage.
“You might even face a small crisis… by speaking about something in a way that ignores cultural differences, context, local values, or emotional nuance.”
For companies investing in international growth, localization is a brand safeguard. And in a market where emotionally connected customers are 50% more valuable than even highly satisfied ones, the ROI of getting it right is clear.
2. Underfunded Launches Don’t Lead to Market Breakthroughs
Ambition often outpaces budget when fast-growing companies enter new markets, and that disconnect shows up quickly in brand performance.
Many teams allocate just a few thousand dollars to launch in major regions, expecting brand awareness, media coverage, and customer traction to follow. But entering a competitive market where no one knows your name requires sustained, visible investment.
Reetta often sees early-stage or even Series A companies try to “test the waters” with small marketing budgets and minimal assets.
The result? Little visibility, limited credibility, and flat engagement.Reetta Ilo, CEO of San Francisco Agency, works with high-growth startups and scaleups to get this right, helping them define their voice, earn visibility, and adapt their story for different cultural and business landscapes.
I spoke with her about the most common branding mistakes companies make during international expansion and the three non-negotiables she believes every brand needs before launch.
“Building brand recognition in a market where you are unknown is not a cheap endeavor,” Reetta says.
“I see marketing budgets that are thousands of euros to enter massive markets. If you want to make it big, be prepared to spend big.”
Effective branding at scale means allocating the resources to do it right, from quality creative and localization to earned media, spokesperson training, and campaign amplification. Without that foundation, even promising brands fail to gain traction.
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3. Internal Alignment Builds External Credibility
When internal teams aren’t aligned on the brand’s positioning, messaging, or priorities, that confusion shows up in every external touchpoint.
“Are you confident that every team member can speak about your brand consistently and clearly?” Reetta asks.
“Onboarding new hires into your key messages might feel secondary during hectic times, but inconsistency in messaging can be costly down the line.”
That’s why Reetta emphasizes consistency across every as a non-negotiable for global expansion. After all, when teams aren’t on the same page internally, the result is often fragmented customer experiences, muddled PR, and campaigns that feel disconnected from the brand’s actual value proposition.
That means involving cross-functional teams early, aligning on narrative pillars, and training internal spokespeople to communicate the brand clearly and credibly.
In high-growth companies, where roles shift quickly and teams scale fast, internal alignment is what keeps the brand coherent as it expands into new markets.
Build the Brand Infrastructure You Need to Scale
Without the right foundations, even the most exciting product or idea can fail to connect in new markets.
According to Reetta, companies that succeed globally do more than launch campaigns. They prepare for every scenario: opportunity, visibility, and even crisis.
One of the most critical steps? Making sure your messaging is locally relevant from day one.
“Ensure your brand messaging resonates with the target audience you are trying to reach.”
That means more than language translation. It requires understanding local values, cultural nuance, and how to speak to emotions and logic in ways that feel native to your audience.
Another key to standing out is being fully equipped to show up professionally on every channel.
“You’ll need great visuals, solid Q&As, spokespersons ready to be interviewed, bios, boilerplates, and more.”“I see marketing budgets that are thousands of euros to enter massive markets. If you want to make it big, be prepared to spend big.”
Brands often underestimate how much groundwork it takes to earn media attention and credibility. Without these materials in place, you risk missing key moments to get your message heard.
Finally, Reetta cautions against waiting for something to go wrong before thinking about crisis communications. When you’re scaling fast, resilience should be part of your brand infrastructure. Global teams must be proactive, especially when time zones or market dynamics create delays in response.
“Do not wait for a disaster to strike before realizing that you have nothing prepared for a crisis communications situation… I sleep better when I know that my clients will know what to do if something doesn’t go according to plan.”
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How Metsä Spring Built a Global PR Engine
One example of getting this right? Metsä Spring, the innovation company of Metsä Group, partnered with San Francisco Agency to reposition its brand and earn visibility in deep-tech and investment circles.
“Together, we co-created their core marketing messages, mission and vision statements, identified their key audiences and personas, and conducted a channel audit to understand where and how we could reach their audience most effectively,” Reetta says.
The results speak for themselves:
- 469+ media hits, including Forbes, Yahoo News, Dagens Industri, and Helsingin Sanomat
- LinkedIn following tripled organically
- Elevated thought leadership profile in the deep tech startup ecosystem
Metsä Spring also shifted investor perception, positioning its corporate venture arm as a valued partner in early-stage funding.
It’s a clear example of how deep alignment, smart positioning, and consistent PR execution can redefine a brand’s impact across borders.
Global Growth Starts with Brand Clarity
As companies expand across borders, branding isn’t just the polish on top. It’s the foundation for relevance, trust, and long-term growth.
Without a localized strategy, adequate investment, internal alignment, and cultural fluency, even great products can go unnoticed.
For high-growth teams eyeing new markets, that means doing the upfront work — not just to show up, but to stand out.
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