Global brands that use promotional content in diverse markets must follow best practices for incorporating cultural sensitivity or risk offending or confusing audiences. Even unintentional missteps can lead to a loss of trust, not to mention reputational and financial harm to the company.
But embracing diverse cultural norms and regional preferences isn’t just about what your brand has to lose. It’s also what it stands to gain. Just check out some of these statistics about the impact of cultural understanding on the success of global marketing strategies:
- Organizations with high cultural intelligence see a 30% increase in their market penetration compared to their competitors
- Culturally adapted marketing increases customer engagement by 50%
- Companies that leverage local partnerships can increase their market penetration by up to 70%
- 70% of consumers are more likely to support brands that demonstrate cultural awareness
Here are some tips on making your brand excel in global content marketing by being inclusive and culturally sensitive.
Research the local culture
Researching a local culture is about more than doing a quick Google search. You’ll also want to speak to experts and possibly invest in cultural consultants to avoid gaffes. Although language is undoubtedly a major factor in creating global content that resonates and engages, simply translating your messaging isn’t enough.
Consider, for example, that specific imagery, idioms, and even colors are taboo or inappropriate in some countries. Imagine showcasing content with colors that represent mourning in the region or promoting a product with a married gay couple in a region where homosexuality is illegal. A little research goes a long way in protecting your brand.
Collaborate with local partners
Although research is good, nothing compares to learning about the culture through lived experience. This could mean partnering with a local organization or agency whose team members can help create or oversee your content marketing or hiring a cultural consultant who can ensure your assets are appropriate and effective.
Understand consumer behavior
Preferences and buying habits vary by country and culture, and some regions emphasize sustainability, a brand’s status, or shopping in person as a social activity. Respecting another culture starts with humility and being open to learning.
In the United States alone, there’s a wide swatch of differentiating shopping behaviors among consumers. Those same variables—such as race, age, gender, and education—are multiplied once you consider regional and cultural differences around the world.
While a cultural consultant or collaborative local agency can help your team better understand consumer behavior in the area, your company should be researching qualitative and quantitative data on its own to understand your target market. This strategy can help you make informed decisions about your content before, during, and after campaigns.
Comply with local regulations
While your goal with global content marketing may be to boost brand awareness, gain new followers, or simply sell more products, a campaign’s success relies on more than just results. You’ll also need to understand and comply with local regulations to avoid financial penalties or the possibility of being banned from specific markets. Having a legal team is vital, but you’ll need people who fully understand international laws and stay updated about constantly changing regulations.
Invest in professional translators
With the advent of AI translation, many marketers assume they don’t need to hire professional translators for their content. But poor translations can lead to embarrassing (or even offensive) messages or slogans that software or artificial intelligence might miss.
Check out these examples to fully understand the weight of skimping on human translators with knowledge of the culture and language.
- When the Parker Pen Company translated their slogan, “It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you” for Mexican audiences, it read, “It won’t leak in your pocket and make you pregnant.”
- Braniff International Airlines wanted to promote its airplanes’ leather seats to Spanish-speaking customers, but a marketing mix-up made “fly in leather” sound like “fly naked.”
- Mercedes-Benz entered the Chinese market under the name “Bensi”—which translates to “rush to die.” (The company changed the name to “Benchi,” which means “run quickly as if flying.”)
The best assurance to avoid these costly gaffes is to hire professional translators familiar with the regional dialects and idioms. Test your local marketing campaigns with a small group to identify issues before the full launch for an extra layer of security.
Ready to get started with your content marketing but don’t have a team of global translators, consultants, and international law experts at your disposal? Consider partnering with a company that provides fully managed content production services to give your team access to all their resources.
