1. Argentina >
2. Starting a Business >
3. Marketing a Business

Marketing a Business in Argentina

The international transition of a business is more than just costs and procedures. It's more cultural acclimatisation than calculatory acumen. It's making sure your product or service fits the inclinations and idiosyncrasies of a nation; finding a way to culturalise your business in order to reap the same results your business has achieved domestically. This is accomplished through one simple step: effective marketing in Argentina.

Marketing your business on indigenous soil is an art-form in itself; attempting to do it in a place like Argentina is nigh on miraculous. Countries may be becoming more heterogeneous, but the foundations of a culture rarely budge for anything: their sensitivities, traditions, humour, discourses, protocols are essentially unchanging and stubbornly unaccommodating. Therefore, the identity of your product or service needs to seamlessly fashion itself upon a nation, not the other way around, shoehorned in, hoping for the best.

Advertising and Sales promotions in Argentina

Advertising in Argentina goes through agencies and management consultants. They are usually members of the Argentine Association of Advertising Agencies (Asociacin Argentina de Agencias de Publicidad www.aaap.org.ar). Advertising in the print media is the most widely used method, although television, internet, and radio advertising are increasingly important.

Argentina has 46 television broadcasting stations. Some eight million TV sets are in use, with a potential audience of about 21 million. There are also 170 AM stations and 2000 FM radio stations. Nearly 12 million radio sets are in use, with an estimated weekly listener audience of 21 million. 200 cable companies operate throughout the country.

Direct marketing methods have renewed opportunities for businesses setting up in Argentina. E-commerce is increasingly a part of daily life, particularly given a higher penetration of home broadband connections. On the contrary, Mail-order marketing in Argentina is still not popular expensive, whit duties and taxes to be paid on international mail.

Traditionally, companies that sell cosmetics, kitchenware, fragrances, and books have been most likely to utilize direct marketing tools. However, the increasing use of the Internet is enabling other firms/sectors to penetrate the market.

Cultural Sensitivity in Argentina

Cultural sensitivity and understanding of protocol is paramount to effective marketing in Agentina. The intricacies of a nation its beliefs, even its superstitions can make or break your business. Know the market; immerse yourself in it. Never assume your marketing strategy will be transplantable to a foreign country. There is only a slim chance language will translate well. Anglophonic countries may be susceptible, but if your product or service plays on a quintessentially British characteristic or joke the chances are, it will not be well received.

As for other countries, don't bank on using the same strap-lines or gimmicks. Unless they are perfectly transitional, your product or service could suffer especially if it relies on humour.

Unless you are certain your product or service can sell itself on indigenous merits, it is probably wise to revise its selling-points for a foreign market. As always, however, only your own fastidious research can conclude this.

Most Argentines are primarily of European descent, which separates them from other Latin American countries. Culturally and emotionally, Argentines often seem more European than Latin American.

The family is the centre of Argentine life with extended families still having prominence. The heads of powerful families command widespread respect, but with this comes a responsibility to care for others in terms of security, jobs, etc and to maintain personal and family honour. This should be kept in mind when marketing in Argentina.

Honour is very important and it routinely affects day-to-day life at home, in the community and in business.

Argentines are on the whole open, warm and direct, yet are able to remain tactful and diplomatic. Their unreservedness brings to their passion and sentimentality.

In addition they are close communicators physically so will often touch each other when speaking and maintain little physical distance between speakers. See the section Business Etiquette in Argentina for more tips.

Click here to Ask an Expert about Marketing a Business in Argentina