Marketing for Global Brands: Keeping It Personal – Affinity Podcast

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Marketing for Global Brands: Keeping It Personal - Affinity Podcast

July 18, 2025

About this episode: For global brands, reaching millions of people at the individual level takes personalization, performance and creativity.

As brands chase attention across borders and channels, being loudest only goes so far. The marketing landscape is noisier-and more splintered-than ever before. And AI is increasing the speed and quantity of marketing output.

How do global brands break through? It's complicated.

That's where high-performing agencies come in. In this episode of the Affinity Podcast, Matt Bostrom and Elliott King of FINN Partners discuss how global clients can identify the right agency partners for the times.

To pursue growth across diverse markets, clients absolutely need sector expertise, performance marketers and technical specialists. But none of that will connect without the continuous boost of bold creativity.

"Claiming a global footprint or having global operations is really different from reaching people," says Bostrom. "Companies have to embrace creativity to survive."

Episode contents, at a glance

How client-agency relationships are changing

• Clients who previously hired specialized agencies are seeking a more integrated approach.
• Especially in the age of AI, clients are prioritizing agencies that offer speed, sector expertise and can provide consultative expertise.
• Chemistry is crucial: Agencies need to be trusted extensions of the team who also have the specialized skills to navigate a fast-changing environment.
• Advice for Businesses:When shopping for an agency, ask the hard questions. Make sure your agency has the technical skills you need to achieve objectives in a data-driven marketing environment.

People expect more. Global brands must deliver more with less.

• Expectations from customers are a lot higher than they used to be. Brands have to give more to build relationships.
• Global marketing agencies also have to understand local cultures and market conditions to effectively connect with audiences.
• Communications, brand and digital marketing functions need to align on strategic goals so they can deliver on their separate objectives while contributing to the overall brand and business.
• Advice for businesses: Defining a clear top-level goal and establishing a suite of measurable marketing objectives allows you to continuously stay on task and report on progress. Make your marketing insights actionable to help align teams, avoid strategic drift, and drive quick, measurable wins.

About the guests on this episode

Matt Bostrom is a managing partner in FINN's Global Integrated Marketing Division. He has over 25 years of agency leadership experience and has headed up global assignments for brands as diverse as Coca Cola, eBay, MasterCard and Novartis. He has a personal passion for work that positively advances human health and grows access to educational opportunities for people worldwide.

A managing partner in FINN's Global Integrated Marketing Division, Elliott King has spent nearly 30 years working in digital marketing in various agency and consultancy roles serving clients across EMEA. He works especially closely with three teams of digital specialists at FINN: SEO, Paid Media and Social Media.

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