CITI-BANK Launching the Credit Card in Asia Pacific

							              CITI-BANK: Launching the Credit Card in Asia Pacific

                                   Key Issues


   Markets, on the average, seem poor and hopeless for high-end service
    products. Underscores importance of systematic analysis. There are high
    opportunity target segments. Average demographics may mask existence of
    such segments.

   Analysis of numbers gives an idea of the considerable opportunity and
    relatively low market share required to break-even. (The expected high initial
    loss may be part of the reason for country managers’ opposition.)

   Citibank, unlike in the North American market, has adopted a premium,
    private banking positioning in Asia Pacific region.

   Successful common positioning theme: high quality, high price, prestige.
    Local adaptation (langauage, occasions).

   Effectiveness of promotions differ. In some countries, personal selling of a
    mass market product is highly effective while direct mailing is expensive and
    gets poor response!

   Conflict between global and country managers: incentives, concern that
    infrastructure limitations may not be well understood by global managers,
    unwillingness to take risk, potential loss of control.

   Risk and reward of Asia Pacific markets.