Buy Canadian, Canada First and Elbows Up – the real challenge

I recently came across a really interesting article that evaluated whether the “Buy Canadian”, “Canada First” (or Elbows Up) approach is a true differentiating factor and also wonders whether this approach is sustainable in the long-term?

Is it only about emotional engagement?

It offers an intriguing insight that looks at what it may take for this approach to gain real traction, vs just being a shorter term marketing ploy that really only offers PR and social media media value.  While emotional engagement is often a pre-cursor to increased revenue, it does not automatically translate there.  There are many other factors that influence that step forward, and they all need to be met if sustainable growth is to be achieved.  That includes supply chain factors, location  of customers, international trade factors such as tariffs and many more.

International challenges

Add to that is the potential “alienation” of international customers and markets that could be in play, and you have a recipe that could bubble up either positively or negatively, something that Canadian companies need to take into consideration.  Your customers may not appreciate your approach, and you’d better evaluate that before you jump into the potential fire.

While the “me-first” approach that the US administration is following is leading the way to changes in attitudes across the world, CEOs and Presidents need to be mindful of their own unique markets.  Simply following the trends is not always the way to go, and this is a moment in time to reflect carefully.   Not everyone will be a fit with that approach, and if one wants to stand out from the crowd and truly be noticed, which is a desirable state for all organizations (or should be), then careful consideration is required.

Read the article in full here.  (with thanks to Marketing News Canada)

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