Well, for starters, it looks like the diametric opposite of BP’s management and their communications advisors.

We have tangible evidence that myopia in the face of vested interests will dig a deep hole, which you may never get out of.

Global thinking goes far beyond market share, shareholder value, quarterly returns and CEO parachutes. It is about service, legacy, honor and responsibility.

It would seem that sadly BP has managed to miss the boat on all of these.

Global thinking means that the responsible corporate citizen becomes the observer, standing outside their personal interests. Observing the consumer, the community in which one is operating and selling, and how each market is linked to the next is part of the critical thinking needed for global success.

And perhaps one needs to define success because it is always—not sometimes—about a greater return on one’s investment than a simple bottom line. It has to do with engaging a consumer with honesty, integrity and with a keen interest on supporting their wellbeing.

People everywhere are looking for the same things: a respectable way to support and keep themselves and their families safe and healthy, to express their potential, provide a legacy for the next generation, and contribute to their community.

So what does your company do to support that individual? Because while market share may be measured in quarterly returns, it is won and sustained one person at a time. If your message speaks to your consumer as though your product was made to fulfill his singular needs, you are on the right track.

Look at winning brands to see why they are in shopping baskets in more places than you could easily find on a map: Coca-Cola; Colgate; Palmolive; Revlon; Bayer. They are all doing something right and have been doing so for decades.

We have some good models to observe and while the rules for communications may be changing, the drivers behind each consumer continue being pretty much the same. Don’t let the noise of multi-platform sound bites distract you from the way you need to engage with your consumers.