Cultural Awareness in International Marketing: Why It Matters

Cultural awareness in international trade is not as new as some marketing experts might think. When the East India Company began spice trade in India in the 17th century, they paid close attention to Indian cultural values to integrate effectively. Competition might not have been particularly fierce back then, but early traders recognized the importance of cultural understanding in their strategies.

Today, companies going global with their products face stiff competition from local companies that have an in-depth understanding of local cultural nuances.

These local companies have already established their presence and built a connection with the community. As a result, newcomers must ensure that their products and promotional strategies are culturally sensitive to make a positive impression and build a strong brand image.

Overcoming Barriers

Cultural awareness should be integrated into every aspect of marketing: from selling and label-printing to advertising and product promotion. It encompasses language, lifestyle, and the behavioral patterns of the people in the target country. Of course, companies should print in the local language, but the language barrier extends beyond that.

Companies must be mindful of how their brand names will affect their image in foreign markets. For example, Koreans pronounce Hyundai as “hi-yun-day,” but in the US, it is marketed as “Hun-day” (similar to Sunday).

This change makes it easier for Americans to pronounce the brand, which is a crucial step in popularizing the car brand. In some cases, a brand name might have an unintended meaning in another country. For example, the baby food maker ‘Gerber’ translates to “vomiting” in French! Often, brands are rebranded under a different name to avoid such embarrassments.

For more information on different name variations in different countries, including Unilever’s strategy with its Heartbrand ice cream brand (here’s a list on Wikipedia), check out the discussion in this forum.

It’s in the Details

It’s not just about the language used in labeling or a TV commercial promoting your company’s products; how the ad is created can make a significant difference.

For example, a car manufacturer should ensure that its ads reflect the position of the driver’s seat. An ad showing a left-hand drive vehicle wouldn’t be effective in a country where the driver sits on the right-hand side. Commercials should also be culturally sensitive when using dialogues and slogans.

Speaking of slogans, there have been many instances where translations have caused embarrassment for a brand. An infamous (yet unconfirmed) example is the translation of ‘Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation‘ to ‘Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead’ in Chinese.

With all the potential for mistakes, why bother translating to the local language at all? Apparently, more than 70% of consumers are more likely to buy a product that is sold in their local language; the percentage is 10% higher for online purchases. Adapting to local preferences is essential for companies that want their product lines to succeed.

The Bane of Current Issues

There are certain current issues that may force a company or organization to re-evaluate its marketing slogans. For instance, in 2003, Hong Kong’s Tourism Board released the slogan, “Hong Kong will take your breath away” to promote tourism through billboards and magazine ads.

This unfortunately occurred right before the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak. The worst part was that shortness of breath is a major symptom of SARS. The tourism board quickly changed the slogan to the less original “There is no place like Hong Kong,” but some magazines had already been distributed in the UK.

Product Specifications

Understanding customer preferences can be tricky, especially regarding the serving size of your product. This issue depends on local cultures and the consumption levels of consumers in the region. For example, cereal isn’t a popular breakfast choice in Asian countries, so there’s little motivation to produce it in large servings or boxes.

It’s also not wise to push products that go against local culture. However, if you are confident in your product, it can be beneficial to experiment with different serving sizes. When testing new markets with new products, there’s always a risk of losses, so thorough research on culture-influenced preferences is essential.

Getting the Brand Out There

Customers are reluctant to buy without first hearing or knowing about a new brand. When mobile phones entered India in the late 90s, people were hesitant to make outright purchases. The wealthy did, mainly out of curiosity driven by promotional adverts and the hype generated by branding efforts. Once call rates dropped, a massive market emerged, and people rushed to buy mobile phones.

It’s challenging to persuade customers to buy or even try a product that came out of nowhere. Customers typically progress from hearing and knowing about a product, to recognizing the brand behind it, and finally to trying out the product.

Helping customers make this connection with your brand and products is essential, and that’s where cultural awareness comes into play. If entrepreneurs use and implement their cultural knowledge, it can significantly contribute to developing a successful international marketing strategy.