Localising brands, changing them according to the traditions of local culture, plays an important role in the global strategy of many companies. Which brands and how adapt their offers and products in the markets of different countries – we, a digital advertising agency from Abu Dhabi, tell in this article. Read and take note to consider when expanding your business to a new audience!
We live in an era of globalization – customers can access any product or service they want in minutes. Everything is just a click away. To attract attention, brands must go the extra mile and create a personalized and unique user experience. A good first step to dominating the global market is a localization strategy. Read on to find out how such a strategy is implemented and how leading brands are maximizing their potential.
How Adaptation Happens
If you are a small business owner, you probably regularly communicate with your international customers. You may already know their preferences, views, beliefs, and superstitions.
But if you can’t get direct information from first-hand sources, it’s worth starting with extensive research to find out what techniques competitors have used and which ones they have missed.
To adapt your brand to the local culture, you need two types of data. Qualitative localization research involves holding focus groups to discuss the brand and identify cultural preferences and perceptions. The next step is individual interviews to gain a deeper understanding of local attitudes towards the brand. Conduct product or service testing to identify cultural differences that may influence brand choice.
The second type is quantitative localization research. It involves online surveys to collect quantitative data on local brand awareness, preferences, and perceptions. Digital analytics of website and social media interactions can help you gain insights into local customer behavior.
Once the data is collected, analyze it to gain insights that will help you shape your local brand identity. But you also need a “telescopic” view of the local culture. For example, understanding superstitions, language features, cultural associations, etc. – here are some examples.
Superstitions and Adaptation
What comes to mind when you think of a particular brand? Maybe Tiffany & Co.’s signature turquoise color. associates with freshness, novelty, luxury? However, the associations we are accustomed to do not always work in other cultures. In the case of Tiffany & Co., there will most likely be no problems. But, for example, in Europe, the color of mourning is black. In Asia, it is white. In our country, 13 is considered an unlucky number, in Japan and China – 4.
So, some brands or companies in Japan changed the names of their product lines due to superstitions regarding the number 4, which is associated with death. They also avoid using the number 4 in their models and internal codes, since due to superstition, this can negatively affect the perception of the brand among Japanese consumers.
Often in Japanese hotels, numbers with the number 4 can be replaced with 3A or other combinations of numbers to avoid associations with misfortune. Some Japanese manufacturers of medical devices also avoid using the number 4 in their model numbers, knowing that this can cause psychological discomfort to buyers.
Translation difficulties
Pepsi faced a problem when the company translated the slogan “Come alive with the Pepsi generation” into Chinese, which in Taiwan was perceived as “Pepsi, give life to your ancestors”. This caused discontent, as it showed disrespect for previous generations. As a result, the company adjusted its strategy to avoid using such a slogan and adapt it to the cultural context.
Honda in the United States decided to stop using the car model name “Fitta” in 2006. The word had a vulgar meaning in Swedish, and although the name did not have the same meaning in other countries, the company decided to rename the model “Jazz” to avoid negative associations.
Mitsubishi’s name “Pajero” has caused changes in some markets, especially in Latin America, due to cultural and linguistic issues. In Spanish-speaking countries, the word has a vulgar slang meaning.
To solve this problem, Mitsubishi was forced to change the model name for some countries. In Argentina, for example, the car was renamed Mitsubishi Montero, while in Spain a version with a different name was used – Mitsubishi Shogun, which is a historical reference to Japanese samurai.
Cross-cultural Marketing
One of the most famous examples of cross-cultural marketing is McDonald’s, which adapts its menu based on local preferences. In India, for example, where beef is considered a sacred animal, McDonald’s offers vegetarian options, while in Japan you can find teriyaki burgers. These changes help the company attract customers by matching local cultural norms and habits.
Coca-Cola uses localized advertising campaigns to reflect the cultural characteristics and traditions of different countries. For example, in its advertising materials in India, the company focuses on family values and cultural holidays, which resonates with the local audience. Coca-Cola also localizes its packaging by adding local languages and symbols, which strengthens the connection with consumers.
Nike actively adapts its marketing strategies taking into account the cultural characteristics of different countries. For example, in Arab countries, Nike created a collection of sportswear that corresponds to local traditions, including leggings and tunics that respect the rules of modesty. Advertising campaigns also feature local athletes and cultural icons. In China, the company has launched numerous campaigns promoting basketball, which is popular among young people, and launches products inspired by the national culture. For example, for the Chinese New Year in 2024, Nike released a limited edition Air Force 1 Low Year of the Dragon sneaker using traditional Chinese symbols such as dragons, as well as the color gold, which is associated with good fortune and prosperity.
Heineken takes a cross-cultural approach to its advertising, creating campaigns that reflect local habits and traditions. In some countries, the company uses humor and cultural references to attract attention, while in others, it emphasizes quality and brewing traditions.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA is known for its ability to tailor products and store experiences to the needs of different countries. In the United States, IKEA focuses on large wardrobes and spacious sofas to suit lifestyles with larger homes. In China, the company adapted the design of kitchen units, offering models for compact apartments and for the local cooking process, which includes more equipment for steaming and boiling.
To successfully enter the Japanese market, Nestlé took into account the cultural characteristics and perceptions of the Japanese, who did not associate coffee with an everyday product, as it did in the West. Nestlé’s key approach was the understanding that coffee should be associated with sophistication and become an element of a status lifestyle, and not just a source of energy. Instead of an ordinary morning drink, coffee for the Japanese was more a symbol of Western culture and luxury. Nestlé developed a campaign that emphasized prestige and style, and also offered coffee drinks that better suited the taste preferences of the Japanese. Nestlé made another key move by adapting coffee for the Japanese market by appealing to children. In Western countries, children were not usually the target audience for coffee, but in Japan, Nestlé decided to take a different look at promotion. One method was to develop sweet coffee drinks and advertising campaigns that made coffee more appealing to young people. This tactic was chosen so that Japanese children, starting to try sweet coffee products, would eventually get used to the taste of coffee and move on to more classic types of the drink when they became adults. This helped gradually form a culture of coffee consumption among the Japanese as a familiar, everyday drink associated with prestige and a Western lifestyle, creating positive associations with coffee in them from an early age.
Bad Examples
Of course, there are also unsuccessful examples of product adaptation in foreign markets.
In an attempt to find a way to attract the mid-priced car market in India, Ford Motor Company removed many options to reduce the selling price by 25% – from $20,000 to $15,000. In their study, they did not take into account the fact that a buyer who has this money to buy a car would still be considered very wealthy and would most likely hire a driver than drive the car himself. And he could easily pay for the features that Ford removed.
Uber, trying to enter the Japanese market, provided a very confusing app interface with many form fields filled in incorrectly. Since Japanese rules and familiar wording were significantly different from Western languages, this was a huge mistake and a great inconvenience for users. The poorly translated version could not provide the same effectiveness as in Western countries.
Localization is not just translating an advertisement into another language, but also a deep understanding of local traditions, superstitions, habits and values. Careful analysis of the cultural code, adaptation of the brand and products to the needs of the target audience is a key factor in creating a long-term emotional connection with customers without negative associations.
We wish you success in promoting your business to new markets and remind you that you can find more useful materials in the blog of our WGG advertising agency.
