Emerging regions. It is always harder to achieve growth in saturated than in booming markets. Still, most brands concentrate their efforts on developed yet mature regions and hesitate to engage in emerging economies.

In many cases the circumstances in emerging markets are very attractive. Disposable income and per capita consumption are growing fast, the population is young and increasing, and consumers in these countries aspire very much to Western style brands. Some of these countries are even larger than Europe or US in terms of their population.

For some reasons – i.e. import duties, local consumer preferences, currency fluctuations - long-term success in larger markets requires local operations and value creation inside the territory. Export is too expensive, direct investment is risky. Therefore, the most promising entry option is partnering with locals.

In that sense, emerging regions worth looking over are India/SAARC, South Korea, Indonesia/ASEAN, and Brazil/MERCOSUR where Capstone Branding maintains specialized liaison offices. As for China, most categories are already crowded with Western companies and brands.