Today’s globalized world has made it easier for businesses to engage in international trade and expand their base of operations. However, effective penetration requires more than mere translation but cultural sensitivity and strategic acumen. Below are a few things your marketing agency can do:
1. Do your research: Go beyond the surface of your chosen target market’s cultural uniqueness by delving into its intricate details. This encompasses the understanding of their way of life, communication means, preferred media outlets, and even jokes that make them laugh. What might be appealing to one nation might be meaningless to another because culture is very diverse. Research can uncover some things that are not available in any text such as impact of history on behavior of consumers or meaning of colors.
2. Authenticity reigns supreme: Don’t just translate your existing marketing campaign into a foreign language. Develop real stories that can relate with cultural beliefs and dreams. You can engage local people who know their cultures well to help you come up with resonating messages which do not have errors that may offend them unintentionally. Genuine cultural understanding fosters trust upon which brand loyalty is anchored.
The world is becoming more culturally diverse as time goes on and there is a need to speak to that in branding and marketing terms. However, many companies make mistakes when attempting to do this, thinking more about demographics than demand. To keep your business successful, you need a company that understands how to appeal to the masses. San Diego graphic design and branding company Lien Design understands how best to reach out to your target audience regardless of cultural background. Read on to find out more about how to show your product in it’s best light.
3. Visuals speak volumes: Images and symbols carry powerful cultural meanings. Something that looks harmless in one country may be highly offensive if done in another country or case context all together. Examine common symbols along with color associations so that negative unintended meanings would not occur at all.. Think about working with artists or photographers from there who would visualize the designs according to the specific aesthetics for your targeted markets.
4. Adapt, don't appropriate: Cultural borrowing is educational although it should never lead to appropriation. Borrowing without knowledge or respect for its significances is what is meant by this term Appropriation thus instead look for borrowed ideas while celebrating our diversity and making sure no stereotypes are formed.
5. Embrace localization: Localize your message by changing it to suit certain language levels and contexts rather than translating it word for word. This is about using idiomatic phrases, cultural references and jokes that resonate with the audience in the local culture. There could be variations in dialects used across different regions and it wouldn’t be wise to use a universally generalized slogan which might sound odd or meaningless in some of these markets.
6. Celebrate diversity: Incorporating different cultures into your advertising pieces could help you connect well with multi-cultural audiences. To show your company’s commitment to inclusiveness, use models, actors and influencers from diverse backgrounds. This approach also proves your acceptance to various audiences thereby improving your brand values.
When marketing, many companies make an assumption regarding who is going to respond to the product and advertising based on culture. For instance, when marketing salsa, many will try to appeal to the Latino community. However, salsa is very popular in many households, more popular than ketchup in fact. Therefore, there are many different cultures that consume salsa and the marketing and branding needs to appeal to the wide variety of ethnic groups that are buying it.
In order to do this, we must refocus the way we are thinking of marketing to different cultural backgrounds. We need to think beyond demographics. We need to change the way we view the products we are thinking of as culturally specific and realize that we need to appeal to a wider audience.
We also have to realize that culture transcends ethnicity. It is a shared passion for a common experience or product that can include food, sports, hobbies and fashion. It is open to a wide variety of people and can be authentic or adopted.
Also, while we understand that culture is a shared experience, where anyone can opt in, it’s not something that should be forced upon others. Most will feel more comfortable adapting to other cultures knowing it’s a choice, not something superimposed upon them.
So, getting back to branding and marketing, where does that leave us? Well, we must market to those who are multi-cultural in demand, not demographics. When thinking of graphic design, marketing and branding, we need to make sure to cast a wide net when focusing on the groups we must appeal to. Thinking about culture in minority majority cities is a good starting place.
In this culturally diverse world, it is important to realize that, just because an item was produced in a certain culture, that doesn’t prevent it from being consumed, utilized and enjoyed in other cultures. Therefore, when considering marketing, branding and graphic design, it’s essential to appeal to the demographic where demand for the product is highest, not necessarily the culture where it was produced. It’s not easy to figure out your target audience and the best way to market to them, which is why you need an expert company like California’s Lien Design to help you with your branding and graphic design needs. Think about your where the demand for your product is and make sure it is being marketed to its fullest advantage.
Remember that targeting different cultures is a long-lasting process rather than just one hit attempt. By practicing cultural sensitivity, doing research and being authentic, a marketing agency can do much more to cross national boundaries and discover new business environments which may bring meaningful connections with target groups throughout the world.