North of the 49th | Amway

I’ve added a new word to my personal lexicon – it’s one that I feel perfectly describes what we’re trying to do here at Amway on a global level with our social media efforts.

That word? Glocalisation. (Some of you may spell it with a z… but you’re likely the ones who would pronounce that letter zee and not zed. So, in Canada, it’s glocalisation!)

It’s not a new word. It’s not even specific to social media or Internet technology. Apparently, it developed from the Japanese farming industry, where global techniques were applied to local conditions. And, in many ways, that’s what we’re trying to do with our various social networking properties.

Yesterday, Ragan.com posted an article highlighting the launch of Amway Thailand’s Facebook page, which represents our 25^th culture-specific Facebook page.

The Amway business opportunity spans the globe and it is, for the most part, the same wherever you go. Sure, some countries have different requirements and product availability may vary from place to place, but the fundamentals of the business are global in nature. As affiliates, we work to target our opportunity to the local needs.

Whether it’s on our three Canadian Facebook pages (Amway, Artistry, and Nutrilite), our Twitter feed, our YouTube channel, or even this blog, we try to provide you with the essentials of the business from a Canadian perspective (and that’s certainly much more than throwing in an extra ‘u’ or replacing a ‘z’ with an ‘s’). Yes, we are part of Amway North America, but Canadians and Americans aren’t the same, so we try to bring Canadians the information and interaction they need as Canadians.

The challenge then becomes: what is a Canadian?

I remember back in an old Canadian Literature course, we were asked to define Canadian identity. Traditionally, our society has identified itself by what we’re not (not American, not British), as opposed to what we are. And the challenge is that there is no one brush stroke that allows us to be painted in the same manner.

It starts with the Canadian cultural mosaic. We don’t have a melting pot mentality; we encourage people to retain their cultural history as part of their Canadian-ness. Personally, I like that about us, but it does make it a challenge to describe what a Canadian is.

Combine that with the fact that simple geography makes it hard to put a Canadian stamp on any particular culture or trait. From the ocean-focused literature and poetry of Newfoundland, to the more insular, introspective work of prairie authors; from the Inuit to the urban; from the Calvinist influence of Ontarian work to the Roman-Catholic influence of Quebecois art, it’s impossible to define one true Canadian voice (well, other than Anne Murray. We can all agree about Anne Murray).

So if there’s no one voice, how can we even consider speaking to all Canadians in the same way? It’s a challenge we face every day and it’s one I try to resolve by just speaking openly and honestly. Truth tends to transcend regional differences, dialects, and language barriers.

We hope our social networks speak to Canadians from coast to coast. We hope you find value in what we’re trying to do. And we are always open to your thoughts as to how we can improved. As a Canadian IBO, customer, or visitor to the site, what would you like to see from us? Are there any uniquely Canadian things you’d like to read, see, or experience?

And I encourage you to follow some of those 25 Facebook pages, read some of the blogs from around the world, and explore the global Amway family. While we all have our differences, we are united in our shared commitment to helping people live better lives – and that’s a community which we can be proud of being a part, regardless of where our passports are from!

Comments are open! All the best,

Jay