[Extract from "Cross-culture thinking", in which Brian Elliott, CEO of Amsterdam Worldwide discusses cultural intelligence, and how brands should go global, and fast!]

"Cultural Intelligence: About 10 years ago we gave advice to a small outsider in the mobile handset market about how to launch their product in Europe.  Its devices were supremely useful and did one thing exceptionally well: Secure e-mail access anywhere.  The device looked like a pager and was designed to clip on to your belt. Recognise it yet? The Blackberry by Research-in-Motion. And at that time no self-respecting European executive would be seen with it.  It turns out that in the home of the Savile Row bespoke suit or Italian fashion - the look of a mobile phone matters as much as a power suit or a watch. Even to investment bankers. So we took the team on a cultural journey through the design capitals of Europe, and played a modest role in influencing the future design journey of the Blackberry. Cultural intelligence matters. Awareness of global design trends matters."

Today brands can be as global as they choose to be. Fast.  Yet even a brand like Facebook has been slow to maximise its global footprint. Competing brands in markets as diverse as Russia, The Netherlands, and China, have stolen a march on the master of the social media universe, and they now hold the leadership positions. No mean feat considering the stakes. Fast followers have been present in fashion for ages, yet technology and social media fast followers can do great damage to the international hopes of innovators.

Read the rest of Brian Elliott's article here.