How to Launch a Brand in the United States?

The United States has been the ultimate market for expansion for many companies due to the size of its economy and purchasing power. In particular, the Hispanic community (aka Latiné, Latinx) has grown to over 60 million consumers, who trend younger, and have a purchasing power of $3.4 trillion. 

As Latin American economies continue to experience significant uncertainty, strategically targeting the (Hispanic or general) US  market is becoming an increasingly attractive proposition. However, effectively navigating this path to growth requires thorough preparation, given the nature of the U.S. market.

If you aim to launch a brand or product in the US, this goal demands a profound understanding of the diverse range of markets, cultures, and consumer preferences coexisting within the nation. To effectively position a brand in this complex landscape, it is crucial to comprehend how to make a significant impact with the desired product among the chosen audience.

Furthermore, recognizing that the U.S. market is like a rich tapestry, where each thread contributes its cultural nuances, flavors, and unique habits, is essential for success.

The data is promising. According to the Democrats of the Senate Joint Economic Committee, almost 25% of all new companies that are generating jobs are owned by Hispanics. Additionally, nearly five million Hispanic businesses have been contributing more than $800 billion to the U.S. economy each year. In the decade before the pandemic, the number of Hispanic business owners increased 34%, compared to a 1% increase among non-Hispanic business owners.

The Latino Donor Collaborative research together with Wells Fargo and the University of Arizona, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) generated by Latinos in the United States reached a whopping $3.2 billion, surpassing the previous record of $2.8 billion in the report presented in 2022. This achievement places the Latin economy in the country as the fifth largest in the world, surpassing the economies of France, the United Kingdom, and India.

According to the latest State of Latino Entrepreneurship Report, over the past decade, half of the newly established companies in the United States have been founded by Latinos. The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, highlighted in June 2023 the importance of Hispanic companies in the US market and expressed the need to generate more and more financial opportunities to promote these companies.

First, the Business: Legal Requirements for Launching a Company in the United States

As in any market, establishing a presence in the United States involves complying with a set of rules based on business decisions. For this, it is important to understand:

You do not need to be a U.S. resident or even to live in the US to own a business here, but if you are looking to move to the US to run your busines there are more than 30 visas, with at least 3 being ideal for those looking to start a business in the US (E-2, E-1, L-1).

Business Structure and Location for Launching a Company in the United States

The second step is choosing the company's structure. Most foreigners typically opt for a Limited Liability Company (LLC), S or C corporation, depending on the structure needed. LLCs (taxed as an S Corp) can be owned by a single member and enjoy tax advantages such as a single-level individual tax. 

The US is very business friendly, and creating a new LLC or simple corporation can be as fast as a few days or weeks. Opening a bank account may take some extra time if you don’t have an existing relationship with a bank here.

Common Mistakes When Launching a Product in the United States

Brands, startups, or entrepreneurs can easily underestimate some big differences vs their local markets: 

• Costs in the US are significantly higher, especially when running advertising campaigns. 
• This means being very targeted and testing markets until you find the right formula to scale may take time and therefore expenses. Most releases are not an instant success. 
• The US is the most competitive market in the world and the most demanding. From customer service to user experience, what works in other countries has to be adapted to the US consumer. 
• A successfull company in another country may have grown organically over many years, or may have been first to market, but likely wouldn’t be so in the US. Mercado Libre has a market cap of $72Bn, but it has zero presense in the US because it’s a Latin American version of Amazon + eBay. 

These lead to the following issues that we work with our clients to plan for: 

The budget is not aligned with the objectives, strategy: This is a common mistake for small and large organizations. Companies set a budget but don’t yet have a defined plan on who is their buyer, the size of the audience, how, or where they will reach them. A budget without a strategy is wasted spending.

Brand positioning is not aligned with the strategy: When launching a new brand, differentiating your offering and brand from the competitors allows to better communicate, eventually lowering your acquisition costs and what Prof Galloway calls a brand’s moat. Consider this analysis of AllBirds vs Birckenstock. 

Brand presence: The US consumer is used to high quality. In the last 20 years this has meant design driven and customer service driven decisions. Apple is a design driven (user experience) company. Amazon is a service driven company.
Another example: Large US Banks realized consumers were not visiting their branches. They were visiting their apps and their ATMs. So they invested heavily in improving the user experience there, reducing friction and unhappy customers. Banking customers usually leave when they have an issue. 

Not understanding the market: Often, companies want to sell their products in the US due to its large economy but do not understand how its consumers and culture behave. Finding allies who provide information and support positioning with knowledge of their specifica target consumer will be the foundation for achieving desired results.

The Hispanic market in the United States: A target to conquer? If you have decided to enter the US consumer market, it is essential to understand that the Hispanic (Latinx, Latiné) market in the United States does not exist today as a single mass, especially when we have the tools to segment or hyper-segment the audience.

For example, a Mexican brand would be better off targeting specific states and cities rather than opting for a national approach. Alternatively, we could ignore geographical location and focus on age, gender, specific interests such as film, art, gastronomy, or people who have already interacted with the brand.

Hispanic audiences who speak 100% English but have a cultural and emotional connection to their family's food, culture, sports, music, for example, will not have the same strategy as newcomers or consumers who are the first family members born in the United States.

It is also not the same if their roots belong to one country or another. Thinking of Latin America, the Caribbean, or even the entire Hispanic audience as a whole is usually a mistake.

Adjust, Learn, and Grow: Brand or product positioning in the United States is an ongoing process. There is no beginning and end. Therefore, every dollar invested in understanding consumer behavior and product interaction will be worth it and will drive better decision-making. For this, a team of optimization experts is essential.

Strategy First, Product Launch Second

The strategy must clarify the purpose of the brand, the commercial objectives, in analysis of the competition, the consumers to conquer (this includes thoroughly knowing their interests and needs, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics) and the creative approach and communication messages. This is essential before moving on to the tactical plan. 

What is the unique value of the brand or product you intend to launch in the US bring to the market?

When launching a brand in the United States, the fundamental first step involves developing a strategy that resonates deeply with your target audience. This entails implementing personalized communication tactics and gaining a nuanced understanding of customer preferences. All these concerted efforts are aimed at achieving growth and establishing a foothold in a significantly larger market.

When to involve a strategic communication and marketing agency when launching a brand?

In today's dynamic business landscape, a successful marketing strategy requires a multi-faceted approach that encompasses deep market analysis, a well-defined brand identity, honest positioning, and an engaging creative campaign. Here, we'll explore the essential steps to create a robust marketing strategy that can help your brand thrive.

Deep Diving Market: Understanding the Category

To begin, it's crucial to delve deep into the market and understand the category in which your brand operates. This involves thorough research, analysis of content and digital media, and gaining insights into the broader context. Examining the competition is equally vital to identify gaps and opportunities. By comprehending the market inside out, you'll be better equipped to make informed decisions and tailor your strategy accordingly.

Brand Architecture and Brand Manual

Next, establish a strong foundation for your brand by developing or refining its architecture. This includes defining the brand's values, design elements, key messages, and all aspects that make your brand unique. A comprehensive brand manual can serve as a valuable resource to ensure consistency in brand representation across all touchpoints. By aligning these elements, you'll create a cohesive and recognizable brand identity.

Communication Strategy

Honesty and truthfulness should be the cornerstones of your brand's communication strategy. Your brand's messaging should resonate with your target audience while staying authentic to your values. It's crucial to position your brand in a way that genuinely reflects its offerings and mission. Transparency builds trust with your customers and fosters long-lasting relationships.

Creative Strategy & Campaign

The creative strategy and campaign are where your brand's story comes to life. This is the stage where you formulate the "big idea" that will captivate your audience. Your creative strategy should seamlessly align with your brand's values and objectives. Whether it's through storytelling, visually striking content, or innovative campaigns, the goal is to leave a lasting impression and engage your target audience emotionally.

The brand has to incorporate elements that showcase your brand's history, evolution, and milestones. By doing so, you not only create a compelling narrative but also establish a sense of continuity that connects your brand's past, present, and future.

Media Plan & Investment: Media Strategy & Plan

Once you've established your brand's identity and creative strategy, it's time to develop a media plan and investment strategy to effectively reach your target audience. Your media strategy should align with your overall marketing goals and objectives.

Therefore, finding a good marketing consultant can be one of the first steps in the launch process. Having a team that is well-versed in the market, the various cultures coexisting in the United States, and that has experience working with local brands as well as those aiming to launch in the United States is crucial.

Here is where the agency's role comes in to define strategies: Who is your primary audience in the short, medium, and long term? What is your communication strategy? What is the most appropriate communication plan for the audience you are trying to attract? 

Define the budget, the channels and the specific strategy of each channel wil be the next steps.

KPIs Definition

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are essential metrics that help you gauge the success of your marketing efforts. Define specific KPIs that align with your marketing objectives and provide actionable insights into your brand's performance.

Planning to launch brand in United States

Clear objectives: Define marketing objectives for the U.S. launch. Is the goal to increase brand awareness first, or do you want to generate immediate sales? Is the focus on positioning the brand, the company, or just introducing a product?

Target audience: Identifying and segmenting the audience in the U.S. market is essential. Reflecting on this point is the first thing that should be done.

Defining stages: Together with the agency, a marketing strategy will be established, including the stages of the work process, positioning, and a calendarized plan for each of the actions.

Understand the Competition in the United States

Competitive analysis: Investigate competitors in the U.S. market. What are they doing well? What opportunities exist for differentiation?

Benchmarking: Compare your product or brand with market leaders to identify areas for improvement.

Gap identification: Find opportunities in the market where the product or brand can stand out.

Uniquely connect with your consummers

Brand message: Define the central message you want to communicate to the audience. What is the brand or product's story? What values do they represent?

Unique value proposition: Highlight what sets you apart from the competition and how it will benefit customers.

Brand narrative: The narrative should be coherent and align with American culture and values.

Definition of Tactics and Budget

Creativity: With objectives, audience, a deep understanding of the brand or product, the next step is to come up with a compelling idea for the launch. Having a creative team that can impact culture, emotions, and consumer needs is promising for success.

Channel selection: Based on the strategy, determine which marketing channels will be the most efficient (online advertising, social media, email marketing, SEO, etc.).

Budget: To achieve the objectives, a specific budget will be defined for each tactic and stage of the launch. This investment will be established according to needs, in collaboration with the specialized agency.

Measurement of results: Define key metrics for measuring success and establish tracking tools.

Continuous optimization: This doesn't end. Having a team that can optimize the budget, review behavior patterns in each channel, and reinforce to maximize the investment is the path to success.

Launching a Brand or Product in the United States: A Team Effort

In the competitive U.S. market, launching a brand or product is a challenging endeavor that requires precision and expertise. A good marketing agency and a team of specialized consultants are key to success in this endeavor. They not only possess a deep understanding of the local market but are also aware of changing trends and consumer preferences in real-time. Their experience and strategic resources enable them to identify unique opportunities, refine the brand message, and execute effective marketing campaigns. From market research to market entry strategy planning, these professionals work together to minimize risks and maximize the chances of making a significant impact on the demanding U.S. audience.

In addition to their expertise, a quality agency and consultants can help navigate the legal, regulatory, and cultural challenges that are fundamental in the U.S. market. Their ability to adapt to changing needs and their network of contacts can be invaluable when establishing strong business relationships and strategic partnerships.

Ultimately, having a professional and dedicated team will provide you with the confidence and support needed to successfully launch a brand or product in the United States, a market that offers unparalleled opportunities but also demands a meticulous approach and deep understanding.