SOCIAL-FIRST MARKETING IN MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: IDENTIFYING EXECUTION BARRIERS AND ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES : Case Unilever

Abstract

This study examines how organizational structure and processes in multinational corporations constrain the effective execution of Social-First marketing, using Unilever Nordics as a case, and derives design principles for a more capable Social-First organization. Social-First marketing, an approach where campaigns are designed natively for social platforms, requires cultural proximity, real-time responsiveness, and creative agility. These are capabilities that centralized multinational marketing structures often struggle to support.

The theoretical framework integrates three complementary perspectives: the Integration-Responsiveness framework, Network Organization Theory, and Transaction Cost Economics complemented by the Resource-Based View. Together, these form a three-layer diagnostic lens that moves from strategic positioning to structural design to governance decisions.

The empirical analysis draws on eleven semi-structured interviews with Nordic marketing stakeholders and four supplementary EU-level interviews, analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis following Braun & Clarke (2006). The study identifies four barrier themes: resource allocation dominated by mechanical workload, local knowledge and language bottlenecks created by centralization, process and role ambiguity that elevates coordination costs, and the absence of a concrete Social-First Operating Model.

Five design principles are derived from the analysis and implemented in Unilever Nordics' 2025 organizational restructure: unifying end-to-end role ownership, organizing roles around sub-category units, allocating resources by strategic priority and market complexity, structurally embedding local cultural expertise, and establishing dedicated marketing leadership with strategic oversight. Externalizing mechanical work through outsourcing and automation, developing partnerships, and building a concrete Social-First Operating Model remain considerations for continued development.

The study contributes an integrated diagnostic framework applicable to multinational marketing organizations navigating the tension between centralized efficiency and local cultural responsiveness in the Social-First era.