The Most Attractive Employers in 2016 According to Students Globally

Last week, we posted about the “The Most Attractive [U.S.] Employers in 2016.” Today’s post focuses on Universum’s 2016 survey of college students around the world about the most attractive employers for those interested in business careers. The 2016 rankings are compiled from student surveys in the world’s 12 largest economies: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, and USA:

“The World’s Most Attractive Employer companies, must rank in the top 90% of employers within at least six regional markets. If an employer is not listed or is ranked outside the top 90% in a market, it gets a default ranking which is equal to the position of the last company in the top 90% for that market. Results are weighted by GDP, so that a high ranking position in the U.S. has a greater influence than a high ranking position in India, for example.”

Here are the 2016 global top ten most attractive employers for business:

1. Google
2. Apple
3. EY (Ernst & Young)
4. Goldman Sachs
5. PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
6. 6Deloitte
7. Microsoft
8. KPMG
9. L’Oréal Group
10. J.P. Morgan

Interested in more global insights? If yes, click here to download the PDF report.
 
Interested in a regional or country ranking? If yes, click here and scroll down the page for “Choose region” or “Go to country page.”
 

 

In Today’s Competitive World, Targeted Ads Are a Must Globally

Unlike in the past when firms could use universal themes in their ads around the globe, with just minor changes, today, companies need to use a more tailored approach in the face of stiff competition.

As an example, KFC has really stepped up its advertising strategy — and not just in the United States. Here are a selection of tailored ads from around the world. We feature YouTube ads from SEVEN countries here.

From the USA YouTube Channel: There is now an “extra crispy” Colonel Sanders played by actor George Hamilton, known for his perpetual tan.

From the India YouTube Channel: The new limited edition KFC Watt A Box will not only fill you up but also your smartphone.

From the UK and Ireland YouTube Channel: KFC Rollerskater — Bring home the weekend with KFC.

From the South Africa YouTube Channel: Through #‎TasteGuarantee, KFC is making sure that customers are happy and satisfied with every meal, and continue to get the great tasting food you know and love!

From the Hong Kong YouTube Channel: “Finger Lickin’ Good Edible Nail Polish.” [This ad is in Chinese.]

From the Philippines YouTube Channel: For those preferring hot tasting chicken, KFC Hot Shots is getting customers all fired up! 

From the Thailand YouTube Channel: The legend is back by popular demand — KFC crispy chicken Chilliwack, cheese, onions, peppers, dark burn. [This ad is in Thai.]

 

Most Valuable Global Brands: A Multimedia View

The 2016 BrandZ most valuable global brands report by WPP’s MillwardBrown is now available.

This year, a lot of FREE information about valuable brands is presented online, in addition to what is shown visually in our post. To access these other materials, click the links provided below the three visuals we highlight.

When you have finished looking over all of these materials, click here for a fun quiz.

The infographic reveals a lot of information about the 2016 report in an easy-to-read format. Click the image for a larger version.

The full 2016 report (141 pages) may be accessed by clicking on the image.

Here is a video on the fastest-rising brands.

Other information about global brands:

• Global 2016: 10 Takeaways
• BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2016 (98-minute video)
• BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Chinese Brands 2016 (127-page report)
  
• BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Latin American Brands 2015 (3:28 video)
• BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands 2015 (2:44 video)

 

Avoid These Mistakes When Doing Business in China

Selling goods and services to companies and consumers in China is not an easy task for foreign firms. Here are some mistakes to avoid.

Based on an interview with Frank Lavin, CEO of Export Now, a company that assists Western businesses that enter the Chinese market, Darren Dahl (writing for American Express Open Forum), describes six mistakes that foreign companies should not make:

 

1. Doing Nothing New — “The most common mistake companies make when entering international markets is that they don’t do anything new, says Lavin. ‘They think that whatever works domestically will also work internationally,’ he says. ‘They don’t look at pricing or brand positioning or the competitive map. There will be gaps and you need to do some analysis to close them.'”
2. Not Embracing E-Commerce — “Lavin says that while the U.S. has a mature brick-and-mortar merchandising system that’s been around for two hundred years, Chinese customers primarily shop online. ‘E-commerce is often the icing on the cake in the U.S.,’ says Lavin. ‘But in China, e-commerce is the cake.'”
3. Failing to Market Differently — “Lavin says getting your products there is only the first step. ‘What we like to say is that distribution ain’t marketing,’ he says. ‘You’ve reached the starting line, not the finish line. Companies must realize that when they’re entering a new market like China, they are essentially starting over when it comes to building up brand awareness and goodwill among potential customers.”
4. Trying to Do It All Yourself — “If you’ve made the decision to sell in China, then you should also be willing to partner with other businesses to make that move a success.”
5. Obsessing Over Currency Fluctuations — “One thing you don’t have to worry too much about when selling in China is the fluctuation of global currencies. Lavin says that if you’re selling less than $3,000 worth of goods a day or less, you can simply make minor price adjustments to your products as needed without worrying about any kind of currency hedge strategy. Then again, if you are selling upwards of $50 million worth of goods a year, you might want to think about putting such a plan in place.”
6. Starting Too Fast — “Lavin suggests that every company start with what he calls a soft launch, where you begin selling a fraction of the products you might otherwise be doing in the U.S. as a way to work the kinks out of everything from the warehouse.”

 

Click the image to read more.

 

The Best of the Global Under 40s

For the purposes of this post, we are defining “young adults” as any adults under 40 years of age. [Yes, there will be some 20-year-olds who view 39 as ancient. LOL). But this definition enables us to closely look at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) “Young Global Leaders: Class of 2016” reports.

According to WEF:

“The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.The Forum engages the foremost political, business, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.”

“Meet the Young Global Leaders class of 2016. Brilliant scientists. Emerging entrepreneurs. Tech investors. Activist MPs. Each year, we select the most innovative, enterprising, and socially minded men and women under the age of 40 who are pushing boundaries and rethinking the world around them. This year’s class of Young Global Leaders gives hope that they are ready to tackle the world’s most complex and pressing challenges. They are invited to join a community and a five-year leadership journey that we believe will help them break down silos, bridge cultures and use their collective skills to get things done for positive impact across private, public, and civil society organizations.”

Click this image to access the “The Forum of Young Global Leaders.”

Click on the image below to access the 121 members of Class of 2016, with a short bio on each. Regional distribution: Asia Pacific (15); Eurasia (4); Europe (23); Greater China (13); Latin America (7); Middle and North Africa (10); North America (27); South Asia (11); and Sub-Saharan Asia (11).