Glocal Marketing Event at IGU: The Local Journey of Global Brands Under the Spotlight

The event titled “Glocal Approach: Regional Brand Management in Global Markets”, organized by the Istanbul Gelisim University Department of Public Relations and Publicity, took place on December 2, 2025, at the Firnas Auditorium with a high turnout. Guest speaker Fatma Yeşim Tütüncü, Marketing Director of the Hygiene Category at Evyap, shared with students the global journey of the brands she manages, the company’s culture, and the decisive role of consumer insights in brand strategies. Tütüncü highlighted the operations of Evyap which is a well-established brand active since 1927 across a wide geography stretching from Iraq to Uzbekistan and from Russia to Africa. She emphasized that positioning a Türkiye-origin brand on the international stage carries a special meaning and responsibility for her.

Cultural Literacy Lies at the Core of the Glocal Approach

During the seminar organized by the IGU Department of Public Relations and Publicity, Tütüncü stressed that the glocal approach requires a delicate balance between the ambition of becoming a global brand and the need to understand local consumer behavior. She stated that studies conducted in different countries such as household interviews, focus groups, and field observations serve as key data sources that guide brand strategies.
Explaining that consumer tendencies can differ entirely across various regions, Tütüncü noted that not only product quality but also its alignment with cultural codes is among the most important factors determining market success. Through these insights, students had the opportunity to observe, through real examples, how brands aiming to expand into international markets shape their regional strategies.

A New Category and Brand Born from Changing Consumer Trends: Pet Love

One of the key topics in Tütüncü’s talk was emerging consumption trends. She stated that the rise in pet ownership has created a new market for the home care and personal care sectors, and shared the emergence story of Evyap’s “Pet Love” brand, developed to meet this need.
Emphasizing that the brand’s creation was driven by consumers’ perception of their pets as family members and the resulting demand for specialized care products, Tütüncü provided sectoral insight by explaining product development, market research, and branding processes firsthand.

A Direct Opportunity for Students to Connect with the Industry

During the Q&A session held at the end of the nearly two-hour event, students asked Tütüncü all their questions about marketing, brand positioning, and consumer behavior. This interactive segment served as an important experience not only academically but also for students’ professional development.
This event, organized by the Istanbul Gelisim University Department of Public Relations and Publicity, once again highlighted the university’s vision of applied education by enabling students to analyze global marketing dynamics through real cases, understand why a glocal perspective is critical in brand management, and establish direct contact with the industry.