These days, there is more discussion about the importance of cultural sensitivity than ever before. Much of this has to do with the fact that we live in an increasingly global-oriented society, in which more people have greater access to locations, traditions, and cultures other than their own.
Though there’s been more of a push to “shop local” with smaller companies, the fact remains that if a bigger company wants to be successful, it’s wise to expand to other markets. This often means reaching different cultures, whether within your home country or elsewhere. Along with this outreach comes the issues of gauging brand appeal and making localized branding changes as needed.
What is Localized Branding?
Simply put, this is when a brand’s core messaging, products, imagery, and marketing campaigns are adapted to the preferences of local audiences or markets. For instance, brands like Nike, H&M, and KFC all have different branding strategies for various regions. If you think about it, their messaging in Europe resonates with their culture and is quite different from what you may see in North America.
Take a look at Nike’s campaign in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Middle East, where they appealed to audiences that were mostly Muslim.
Image Screenshot: Nike.com
It is everyone’s desire to be seen and heard. Successful brands emphasize the importance of their audience to their potential customers. The way to accomplish this is through communication, not just verbally but also visually. An organization that wants to appeal to all potential customers must be willing to adapt to convey the message “You matter.”
The efforts that a brand makes to take individuals into account go a long way towards building trust and loyalty with consumers, especially those who feel that they’re seen and appreciated by the brand.
Language Matters
Changing the language in which your branded materials are put out, like maybe a professionally designed brochure or flyer, might seem obvious. But, the impact of localized branding should not be overlooked.
Many potential consumers might indeed understand your brand’s main language. It’s also true that some 80 percent of brand recognition lies in the power of the logo rather than any other material. So you may feel that adapting the language of your content isn’t that important.
But people do respond to their language much more swiftly and from the heart than to another language, even if they are fluent in both. As someone who lived outside of my home country for many years, I can personally attest to the fact that when I saw something in my native tongue, it caught my attention and held it.
Taking the time to create natural, flowing content in other languages can greatly increase the credibility of a brand as it reaches out to other cultures.
Visuals Tell a Story
In adapting localized branding, even colors should be considered. They can mean different things in different cultures. Choosing colors for your brand initially isn’t based on searching out a color that is “safe” regardless of what country it’s used in; other considerations take precedence.
But it’s important to remember that even something as basic as what color your logo uses can change how your brand is perceived and responded to, depending on location. In her book Everything Psychology, Kendra Cherry noted, “Your feelings about color are often deeply personal and rooted in your own experience or culture.
For example, while the color white is used in many Western countries to represent purity and innocence, it is seen as a symbol of mourning in many Eastern countries.” Other colors, too, can change the impression of a brand and its significance drastically, depending on where they are used.
Uber made a bold move with its rebranding campaign in 2016. For a more localized approach to its brand, the company introduced its app icon in different colors depending on the country. In the US, customers saw a bright turquoise color in the new icon, and in China, the colors changed to shades of red.
Image Source: logos-world.net/uber-logo
Simplicity is the Key to Adaptability
The world has indeed gone online, and it’s not as rare as you might think. The number of internet users worldwide is five and a half billion, or about 67 percent of the global population. There is, however, a difference between all forms of internet access.
As Americans, we enjoy “cutting edge for all.” That means we have almost unprecedented access to the web as well as laptops, tablets, and smartphones that can carry out just about any task.
The same cannot always be said for other locations. It can be challenging to develop localized branding in places with limited access to technology and information. If someone with a decent internet connection visits a website with a lot of videos, for instance, it might not be a problem, but if they only have limited bandwidth, it could be a problem.
It is also important to consider cultural sensitivity when it comes to localized branding. Make sure that your brand is accessible to all or as many people as possible. The goal is to keep things simple, perhaps designing an accessible website based on your target audience’s potential limitations.
Reaching Your Greatest Audience
Developing new markets is essential to the growth of a brand. Globalization makes it more likely than ever that your brand will reach new frontiers, and you’ll also find people with different traditions, backgrounds, and cultures.
The goal of localizing your branding is to demonstrate that your brand believes it.
This presents a challenge for any brand. I’m sure you’ve made the mistake of missing a detail and offended someone. That’s why companies should be willing to apologize and learn from their mistakes. The right reaction can turn even a misstep into a marketing opportunity.
Taking cultural awareness and respect into account shows that the brand isn’t just growing, but also the people behind it. This campaign by IKEA India is a great example of culturally relevant branding that appeals to the local audience.
Establishing trust
Effective communication requires cultural sensitivity in translation and localization. Content that resonates with the cultural background of the audience builds credibility and trust. Businesses that wish to expand internationally must demonstrate respect for the local culture to build trust.
Brands and companies gain positive impressions when they take a culturally sensitive approach. Customers tend to feel more loyal to brands that reflect their values and cultural context.
Expanding into new markets
The process of localization goes beyond translation; it involves modifying content to meet the preferences of the local population. To accomplish this, you may use culturally appropriate symbols and imagery or even adapt the layout or design. For a product or service to successfully penetrate the market and gain acceptance, these efforts must be made.
For instance, in the marketing of food and beverages, it is imperative to understand the local dietary habits and culinary preferences. A restaurant’s success in a new market depends on the adaptation of its food and advertising to reflect the local culture and ingredients.
And you know who does it the best? McDonald’s. The brand truly nails localized branding by expanding its menu to include food items that are loved by the people in the country. It has introduced the ‘Patatas Deluxe’ in Spain and keeps adding more options as well.
Image Source: mcdonalds.es
How to Ensure Cultural Sensitivity for Localized Branding
Making a product, service, or content suitable for a new audience requires cultural sensitivity during localization. The following are some key steps:
Make Sure You Hire Experts
Localization teams can benefit greatly from the expertise of cultural experts or consultants. Professionals with this expertise know the target culture’s nuances, norms, and sensitivities in depth. An expert cultural consultant could, for example, provide advice regarding the auspiciousness or offensiveness of certain symbols or colors.
Providing insights into the target culture’s history and sociopolitical context is the responsibility of cultural consultants. Localizers and translators will be able to understand the subtleties and references embedded in the content with this information. In marketing campaigns referencing historical events, cultural consultants can ensure that they are accurate and culturally appropriate.
Train People in Cultural Sensitivity
To develop a greater sense of cultural awareness, translators and localizers need cultural training. Training may address cultural dimensions like collectivism and individualism, as well as high-context and low-context communication, all of which have a dramatic impact on how content is created.
During training sessions, idiomatic expressions, humor, and etiquette should be emphasized. In Asian languages, for example, you should understand when and how to use honorifics, as well as how personal space is regarded in different cultural contexts.
Keep Learning
We live in a dynamic and ever-evolving world. It’s possible that what is considered culturally sensitive today will not be the case in the future. Translators and localizers should read cultural news and books to stay on top of cultural shifts. In this way, they ensure the relevance of their work.
Team members may gain a deeper understanding of a culture’s norms and values by immersing themselves in it. It is extremely beneficial to travel to the target country, take part in local events, or study the local language.
Avoid Using Stereotypes
The goal of inclusive language is to avoid stereotypical language, biases, or offensive words that may alienate or marginalize one’s audience. It is important for content to be respectful of diversity and to embrace it. Avoid stereotypical representations of people from different cultures or backgrounds when localizing marketing materials.
It is important to translate and localize pronouns and titles according to an individual’s preferences. Choosing honorific titles and titles carefully is essential in certain cultures due to their importance.
Testing and Providing Feedback
A field test must be conducted after the translation and localization processes have been completed. You can use focus groups or surveys to gauge how your content is received by your target audience. Based on their feedback, it can be determined how well the content matches the local culture and if it needs to be adjusted.
Content should incorporate feedback received from the target audience. Localization becomes an iterative process as audience responses are incorporated into the revision process, making content increasingly culturally sensitive.
Engage in Collaboration
To achieve cultural sensitivity, collaboration is essential. Communication between creators, translators, and localizers must be transparent. Culture sensitivity issues can be addressed with regular meetings and discussions, resulting in better content.
Team up with cultural consultants, linguists, and subject matter experts to form cross-functional teams. Multi-perspective approaches ensure that a well-rounded and culturally sensitive result is achieved.
Maintain Compliance With the Law
Compliance with local laws and regulations is essential when translating and localizing content. To avoid potential pitfalls, such as violations of intellectual property rights or cultural insensitivity, it is recommended that the content be reviewed by legal experts familiar with the laws of the target country.
There are differences in privacy and data protection regulations between countries in the digital age. Observing these regulations is not only a legal requirement but also demonstrates respect for individual rights and the security of personal information.
Challenges in Achieving Cultural Sensitivity
Many factors and obstacles can hamper cultural sensitivity, and these factors and obstacles may be different for each project and target culture. Here are a few common ones:
Cultures of Diverse Origins
Culture presents itself in numerous ways throughout the world through various beliefs and multiple traditions. Achieving harmony between honoring various cultural differences turns out to be difficult when creators need to formulate messages that work for everyone.
Some cultural norms do not exist in particular cultural settings. Maintaining consistency during translation proves to be an exceptionally difficult task for translators and localizers who need to respect cultural differences.
The nature of cultures is dynamic since they consistently transform through time. Social, political, and economic changes create new interpretations of specific subjects and symbols. The work of translators and localizers requires knowledge about ongoing cultural changes to maintain sensitivity in content material.
The way cultural sensitivity appears to different generations in the same cultural group can vary. Older generation standards differ from the standards established by younger generations. The management of conflicting viewpoints between generations proves to be a difficult task.
Royal Carribean Cruise partnered up with GoodRebels to create a memorable campaign on their social media. Their accounts for European countries send out localized messages for Mother’s Day with popular phrases used among local audiences.
Image Screenshot: goodrebels.com
Differences Between Languages
The same language contains distinct dialects and regional variations that exist independently from one another. The selection of language variants rests with the translator, who uses demo-specific nuances.
The language contains various jargon and slang elements that exhibit significant differences across its regions. The successful implementation of these expressions depends on both appropriate usage and correct application in localized content.
Bias Implicit in Decisions
Cultural biases unknowingly enter localization work through the actions of localization specialists. Content translation and localization processes may become affected by the existing biases, which leads to potential cultural insensitivity issues. Continued efforts are needed to both identify and solve biases that exist within localization processes.
The cultural sensitivities between source and target cultures may differ from one another. Special training, along with deliberate thought processes, results in achieving harmony between cultures.
Conclusion
The answer to the question of whether cultural sensitivity is necessary in local branding is yes. Translation and localization should be culturally sensitive to bridge language barriers, foster trust, and foster positive global relationships. We’ve learned that cultural sensitivity goes beyond linguistic ability and involves respect, understanding, and adaptability as well. Achieving success in this complex terrain requires organizations to embrace cultural expertise, provide continuous education, and encourage open communication.
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